nv>jo* 


vaatH^ 


rANGElft> 

% 


mi 

IMBHS^ 
IBRAR%. 


g       = 
^       ^ 

ivaan-^ 


5-ANCn^ 


i 


•P       <3 

O       "- 

>       =3 


A3NUIBRARY0/- 


A  LIST  OF  THE  ELSIE  BOOKS  AND 
OTHER  POPULAR  BOOKS 

BY 

MARTHA    FINLEY 


ELSIE  DINSMORE. 

ELSIE'S  HOLIDAYS  AT  ROSELANDS. 
ELSIE'S  GIRLHOOD. 

ELSIE'S  WOMANHOOD. 
ELSIE'S  MOTHERHOOD. 

ELSIE'S  CHILDREN. 
ELSIE'S  WIDOWHOOD. 
GRANDMOTHER  ELSIE. 

ELSIE'S  NEW  RELATIONS. 
ELSIE  AT  NANTUCKET. 
THE  TWO  ELSIES. 

ELSIE'S  KITH  AND  KIN. 
ELSIE'S  FRIENDS  AT  WOODBURN. 
CHRISTMAS  WITH  GRANDMA  ELSIE. 
ELSIE  AND  THE  RAYMONDS. 
ELSIE  YACHTING  WITH  THE  RAYMONDS. 
ELSIE'S  VACATION. 

ELSIE  AT  VIAMEDE. 
ELSIE  AT  ION. 

ELSIE  AT  THE  WORLD'S  FAIR. 
ELSIE'S  JOURNEY  ON  INLAND  WATERS. 
ELSIE  AT  HOME. 
ELSIE  ON  THE  HUDSON. 
ELSIE  IN  THE  SOUTH. 
ELSIE'S  YOUNG  FOLKS. 
ELSIE'S  WINTER  TRIP. 
ELSIE  AND  HER  LOVED  ONES. 


MILDRED  KEITH. 

MILDRED  AT  ROSELANDS. 
MILDRED'S  MARRIED  LIFE. 
MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 
MILDRED  AT  HOME. 
'  MILDRED'S  BOYS  AND  GIRLS. 
MILDRED'S  NEW  DAUGHTER. 


CASELLA. 

SIGNING  THE  CONTRACT  AND  WHAT  IT  COST. 
THE  TRAGEDY  OF  WILD  RIVER  VALLEY. 
'OUR  FRED. 

'AN  OLD-FASHIONED  BOY. 
WANTED,  A  PEDIGREE. 

THE  THORN  IN  THE  NEST. 


ELSIE    YACHTING 


WITH  THE   RAYMONDS 


BY 

MARTHA  FINLEY 


NEW  YORK 
DODD,  MEAD  AND  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyrighted,  1890, 
DODD,  MEAD  &  COMPANY 


All  rights  rttervtd. 

Copyright,  1818, 
99  CXASUM  B.  1-I3UIY 


P5 


PEEFATOKY   NOTE. 


THE  Author,  having  received  many  letters 
from  young  and  interested  readers,  has  de 
cided  to  acknowledge  them  in  this  way, 
because  feeble  health  and  much  work  for 
the  publishers  make  it  impossible  to  write  a 
separate  reply  to  each  gratifying  epistle. 

She  also  desires  to  freely  acknowledge  in 
debtedness  for  much  information  regarding 
Revolutionary  times  and  incidents,  to  Ban 
croft  and  Lossing;  and  for  the  routine  at 
West  Point,  to  an  article  in  Harper's  Maga 
zine  for  July,  1887,  entitled  "  Cadet  Life  at 
West  Point,"  by  Charles  King,  U.  S  A. 

M.  F. 


559185 


ELSIE   YACHTING  WITH   THE 
RAYMONDS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  train,  which  for  some  hours  had  been 
running  very  fast  and  too  noisily  to  admit  of 
much  conversation,  suddenly  slackened  its  speed, 
and  Lulu  turned  upon  her  father  a  bright,  eager 
look,  as  though  some  request  were  trembling  on 
her  tongue. 

"  Well,  daughter,  what  is  it?"  he  asked,  with 
an  indulgent  smile,  before  she  had  tune  to  utter 
a  word. 

"  Oh,  Papa!  "  she  began  in  a  quick,  excited 
way,  and  quite  as  if  she  expected  her  request 
would  be  granted,  "  I  know  we  're  going  through 
New  York  State,  and  I  've  just  been  thinking 
how  much  I  would  like  to  see  Saratoga, — espe 
cially  the  battle-field  where  the  Americans  gained 
that  splendid  victory  over  the  British  in  the  Rev 
olutionary  War." 

"  Ah !  and  would  Max  like  it,  too?"  the  Cap. 
tain  asked,  with  a  smiling  glance  at  his  son,  who, 


4  ELSiE   YACHTING 

sitting  directly  in  front  of  them,  had  turned  to 
listen  to  their  talk  just  as  Lulu  began  her  reply 
to  their  father's  query. 

"Yes,  sir ;  yes,  indeed !  "  Max  answered  ea 
gerly,  his  face  growing  very  bright.  "  And  you, 
Papa,  would  you  enjoy  it,  too  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  would,"  said  the  Captain,  "  though 
it  would  not  be  for  the  first  time ;  but  showing 
the  places  of  interest  to  two  such  ardent  young 
patriots  will  more  than  compensate  for  that. 
—  And  there  have  been  changes  since  I  was 
there  last,"  he  continued,  musingly.  "  Mount 
McGregor,  for  instance,  has  become  a  spot  of 
historic  interest.  We  will  visit  it." 

"Oh,  yes!  where  dear  General  Grant  died," 
said  Lulu.  "  I  would  like  to  go  there." 

"  So  you  shall,"  returned  her  father.  "  This 
is  Friday ;  we  shall  reach  Saratoga  Saturday 
night,  should  no  accident  detain  us,  spend  Sunday 
there  resting,  according  to  the  commandment, 
then  Monday  and  Tuesday  in  sight-seeing." 

u  How  nice,  Papa,"  Lulu  said  with  satisfac 
tion.  "  I  only  wish  Mamma  Vi  and  Gracie 
could  be  there  with  us." 

"  It  would  double  our  pleasure,"  he  replied. 
"  I  think  we  must  go  again  some  time,  when  we 
can  have  them  along." 

"  Oh,  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that,  Papa! 
for  I  am  quite  sure  I  shall  enjoy  going  twice  to 
so  interesting  a  place,"  said  Lulu. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  5 

"  I,  too,"  said  Max.  "  I  don't  know  of  any 
thing  that  would  please  me  better." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,  and  hope  there  will  be 
no  disappointment  to  either  of  you,"  their  father 
said. 

But  the  train  was  speeding  on  again,  too  fast 
and  too  noisily  for  comfortable  conversation, 
and  they  relapsed  into  silence,  the  Captain  re 
turning  to  his  newspaper,  Max  to  a  book  which 
he  seemed  to  find  very  interesting,  while  his  sister 
amused  herself  with  her  own  thoughts. 

Lulu  was  feeling  very  happy;  she  had  been 
having  so  pleasant  a  summer  out  in  the  West 
with  Papa  and  Maxie,  and  was  enjoying  the 
homeward  journey,  —  or  rather  the  trip  to  the 
sea-shore,  where  the  rest  of  the  family  were,  and 
where  they  all  expected  to  remain  till  the  end 
of  the  season,  —  the  prospect  of  seeing  Saratoga 
and  its  historical  surroundings,  and  other  places 
of  interest,  —  a  view  of  which  could  be  had 
from  the  boat  as  they  passed  down  the  Hudson  ; 
for  she  and  Max  had  both  expressed  a  prefer 
ence  for  that  mode  of  travel,  and  their  father 
had  kindly  consented  to  let  them  have  their 
wish.  She  thought  herself  a  very  fortunate  little 
girl,  and  wished  with  all  her  heart  that  Gracie 
could  be  there  with  them  and  share  in  all  their 
pleasures. 

Dear  Gracie !  they  had  never  been  separated 
for  so  long  a  time  before,  and  Lulu  was  in  such 


6  ELSIE  YACHTING 

haste  for  the  meeting  now  that  she  could  almost 
be  willing  to  resign  the  pleasure  of  a  visit  to 
Saratoga  that  they  might  be  together  the  sooner. 
But  no,  oh,  no,  it  would  never  do  to  miss  a  visit 
there !  It  would  defer  their  meeting  only  a  day 
or  two,  and  she  should  have  all  the  more  to  tell ; 
not  to  Gracie  only,  but  to  Evelyn  Leland  and 
Rosie  Travilla.  Ah,  how  enjoyable  that  would 
be !  Oh,  how  full  of  pleasure  life  was  now  that 
Papa  was  with  them  all  the  time,  and  they  had 
such  a  sweet  home  of  their  very  own ! 

With  that  thought  she  turned  toward  him, 
giving  him  a  look  of  ardent  affection. 

He  was  still  reading,  but  glanced  from  his 
paper  to  her  just  in  time  to  catch  her  loving 
look. 

"My  darling!"  he  said,  bending,  down  to 
speak  close  to  her  ear,  and  accompanying  the 
words  with  a  smile  full  of  fatherly  affection. 
"  I  fear  you  must  be  growing  very  weary  with 
this  long  journey,"  he  added,  putting  an  arm 
about  her  and  drawing  her  closer  to  him. 

"  Oh,  no,  not  so  very,  Papa ! "  she  answered 
brightly ;  "  but  I  '11  be  ever  so  glad  when  we  get 
to  Saratoga.  Don't  you  think  it  will  be  quite  a 
rest  to  be  out  of  the  cars  for  a  day  or  two?  " 

"Yes;  and  I  trust  you  will  find  them  less 
wearisome  after  your  three  days  at  Saratoga." 
What  tune   shall  we  reach  there,  Papa?** 
Max. 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  7 

"Not  long  before  your  bed-time,  I  under 
stand,"  replied  the  Captain. 

"  Then  we  cannot  see  anything  before  Mon 
day?" 

"  You  will  see  something  of  the  town  in  walk 
ing  to  church  day  after  to-morrow." 

"And  we  can  start  out  bright  and  early  on 
Monday  to  visit  places  of  interest,"  added  Lulu ; 
"  can't  we,  Papa?  " 

"  Yes,  if  you  will  be  careful  to  be  ready  in 
good  season.  We  want  to  see  all  we  can  in  the 
two  days  of  our  stay." 

44  And  I  don't  believe  we  '11  find  Lu  a  hin 
drance,  as  some  girls  would  be,"  said  Max. 
"  She  's  always  prompt  when  anything  is  to  be 
done." 

"  I  think  that  is  quite  true,  Max,"  their  father 
remarked,  looking  from  one  to  the  other  with  a 
smile  that  was  full  of  paternal  love  and  pride ; 
"  and  of  you  as  well  as  of  your  sister." 

"  If  we  are,  Papa,  it  is  because  you  have 
trained  us  to  punctuality  and  promptness,"  re 
turned  the  lad,  regarding  his  father  with  eyes 
full  of  admiring  filial  affection. 

"  And  because  you  have  heeded  the  lessons  I 
have  given  you,"  added  the  Captain.  "  My  dear 
children,  when  I  see  that  you  are  doing  so,  it 
gives  me  a  glad  and  thankful  heart." 

They  reached  Saratoga  the  next  evening  more 
than  an  hour  earlier  than  they  had  expected ;  and 


8  ELSIE  YACHTING 

as  the  moon  was  nearly  full,  they  were,  much  to 
the  delight  of  Max  and  Lulu,  able  to  wander 
about  the  town  for  an  hour  or  more  after  tea, 
enjoying  the  sight  of  the  beautiful  grounds  and 
residences,  and  the  crowds  of  people  walking 
and  driving  along  the  streets,  or  sitting  in  the 
porches.  They  visited  Congress  Park  also, 
drank  from  its  springs,  strolled  through  ita 
porches  out  into  the  grounds,  wandered  along 
the  walks,  and  at  length  entered  the  pavilion. 

Here  they  sat  and  rested  for  awhile  ;  then  the 
Captain,  consulting  his  watch,  said  to  his  chil 
dren,  "It  is  nine  o'clock,  my  dears;  time  that 
tired  travellers  were  seeking  their  nests." 

He  rose  as  he  spoke,  and  taking  Lulu's  hand, 
Jed  the  way,  Max  close  in  the  rear. 

"  Yes,  Papa,  I  'm  tired  enough  to  be  very  will 
ing  to  go  to  bed,"  said  Lulu;  "  but  I  hope  we 
can  come  here  again  on  Monday." 

"  I  think  it  altogether  likely  we  shall  be  able 
to  do  so,"  he  replied. 

"If  we  are  up  early  enough  we  might  run 
down  here  for  a  drink  of  the  water  before 
breakfast  on  Monday,"  said  Max.  "  Can't  we, 
Papa?" 

"  Yes,  all  three  of  us,"  replied  the  Captain. 
"  Let  us  see  who  will  be  ready  first." 

They  passed  a  quiet,  restful  Sabbath,  very 
much  as  it  would  have  been  spent  at  home; 
then,  on  Monday  morning,  all  three  were  up 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  9 

and  dressed  in  season  for  a  visit  to  some  of  the 
nearer  springs  before  breakfast. 

They  went  to  the  Park  together,  took  their 
drinks,  returned  after  but  a  few  minutes  spent 
in  the  garden,  breakfasted,  and  shortly  after 
leaving  the  table  were  in  a  carriage  on  their 
way  to  Schuylerville. 

They  visited  the  battle-ground  first,  then  the 
place  of  surrender,  with  its  interesting  monu 
ment. 

"  We  will  look  at  the  outside  first,"  the  Cap 
tain  said,  as  they  drew  near  it.  "  It  is  called  the 
finest  of  its  kind,  and  stands  upon  the  crowning 
height  of  Burgoyne's  intrenched  camp." 

"  I  wonder  how  high  it  is,"  Max  said  inquir 
ingly,  as  they  stood  at  some  distance  from  the 
base,  he  with  his  head  thrown  back,  his  eyes 
fixed  upon  the  top  of  the  shaft. 

"  It  is  said  to  be  more  than  four  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river,"  replied 
his  father. 

"Oh,  I  wonder  if  we  could  n't  see  the  battle 
field  from  the  top ! "  exclaimed  Lulu,  excitedly. 
"  I  suppose  they  '11  let  us  climb  up  there,  won't 
they,  Papa?" 

"  Yes,  for  a  consideration,"  returned  the  Cap 
tain,  smiling  at  her  eager  look  ;  "  but  first  let  us 
finish  our  survey  of  the  outside." 

"What  kind  of  stone  is  this,  sir?"  asked 
Max,  pointing  to  the  base. 


10  ELSIE  YACHTING 

"  Light  granite,"  replied  his  father.  "  And 
the  shaft  is  of  dark  granite,  rough  hewn,  as  you 
will  notice." 

"And  there  are  gables,"  remarked  Lulu, — 
"  great  high  ones." 

"  Yes ;  nearly  forty  feet  high,  and  resting  at 
their  bases  upon  granite  eagles  with  folded 
wings.  Observe,  too,  the  polished  granite  col 
umns,  with  carved  capitals,  which  all  the  cor 
nices  of  doors  and  windows  rest  upon." 

"  And  the  niches  over  the  doors,"  said  Max, 
still  gazing  upward  as  they  walked  slowly  around 
the  shaft,  "one  empty  I  see,  each  of  the  others 
with  a  statue  in  it.  Oh,  they  are  the  generals 
who  commanded  our  troops  in  the  battJe ! " 

"  Yes,"  said  his  father,  "  Generals  Schuyler, 
Morgan,  and  Gates,  —  who  by  the  way  was  hardly 
worthy  of  the  honour,  as  he  gave  evidence  of 
cowardice,  remaining  two  miles  away  from  the 
field  of  battle,  all  ready  for  a  possible  retreat, 
while  Burgoyue  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight. 
The  fourth  and  empty  one,  do  you  not  see,  has 
the  name  of  Arnold  carved  underneath  it." 

"  Oh,  yes,  Arnold  the  traitor !  "  exclaimed 
Max.  "  How  could  he  turn  against  his  country? 
But.  Papa,  he  did  do  good  service  in  this  battle 
and  some  of  the  earlier  ones.,  and  it 's  such  a 
pity  he  turned  traitor!" 

"  Yes,  a  very  great  pity ! "  assented  the  Cap- 
tain,  heaving  an  involuntary  sigh.  "While  de- 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  11 

testing  his  treachery,  I  have  always  felt  that  he 
has  not  received  deserved  credit  for  his  great 
services  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  war,  — the  ex 
pedition  to  Canada,  and  besides  smaller  engage 
ments,  the  terrible  battle  of  Valcour  Island, 
Lake  Champlain,  in  which  he  was  defeated  only 
by  the  great  superiority  of  the  enemy  in  numbers 
of  both  men  and  vessels.  Though  beaten,  he 
brought  away  to  Ticonderoga  his  remaining 
vessels  and  surviving  troops.  His  obstinate 
resistance  so  discouraged  the  British  general, 
Carleton,  that  he  retired  to  Montreal  for  the 
winter,  which  made  it  possible  for  the  Northern 
army  to  spare  three  thousand  troops  to  help 
Washington  in  striking  his  great  blows  at 
Princeton  and  Trenton." 

"  And  after  all  that,  as  I  remember  reading," 
said  Max,  "  Congress  treated  Arnold  shame 
fully,  promoting  other  officers  over  his  head 
who  neither  stood  so  high  in  rank  nor  had  done 
half  the  service  he  had.  I  'm  sure  his  anger  at 
the  injustice  was  very  natural ;  yet  he  still  fought 
bravely  for  his  country,  —  did  n't  he,  Papa  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  and  all  that  occurred  some  months 
before  this  battle  of  Saratoga,  in  which  he  did 
such  service.  Ah,  if  his  career  had  ended  there 
and  then,  what  a  patriot  he  would  now  be  con 
sidered  !  It  is  almost  certain  that  if  he  had 
been  properly  reinforced  by  Gates,  he  would 
have  inflicted  a  crushing  defeat  upon  Burgoyne 


12  ELSIE   YACHTING 

at,  or  shortly  after,  the  battle  of  Freeman's 
farm.  But  Gates  was  very  jealous  of  Arnold, 
disliking  him  as  a  warm  friend  of  General  Schuy- 
ler,  and  the  two  had  a  fierce  quarrel  between 
that  battle  and  the  one  of  Saratoga,  occasioned 
by  Gates,  prompted  by  his  jealousy,  taking 
some  of  Arnold's  best  troops  from  his  command. 
Arnold  then  asked  and  received  permission  to 
return  to  Philadelphia ;  but  the  other  officers, 
perceiving  that  another  and  decisive  battle  was 
about  to  be  fought,  persuaded  Arnold  to  remain 
and  share  in  it,  as  they  had  no  confidence  in 
Gates,  who  was,  without  doubt,  a  coward.  He 
showed  himself  such  by  remaining  in  his  tent 
while  the  battle  was  going  on,  though  Burgoyne 
was,  as  I  have  said,  in  the  thick  of  it.  It  was  a 
great  victory  that  crowned  our  arms  on  the  7th 
of  October,  1777,  and  was  due  more  to  Arnold's 
efforts  than  to  those  of  any  other  man,  though 
Morgan  also  did  a  great  deal  to  win  it." 

"  Was  n't  Arnold  wounded  in  this  battle, 
Papa?"  asked  Max. 

"Yes,  severely,  in  the  leg  which  had  been 
hurt  at  Quebec.  It  was  just  at  the  close  of  the 
battle.  He  was  carried  on  a  litter  to  Albany ^ 
where  he  remained,  disabled,  till  the  next  spring. 
One  must  ever  detest  treason  and  a  traitor ;  yet 
I  think  it  quite  possible  —  even  probable  —  that 
if  Arnold  had  always  received  fair  and  just  treat 
ment,  he  would  never  have  attempted  to  betra$ 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  13 

his  country  as  he  afterward  did.  Now  we  will 
go  inside,  and  see  what  we  can  find  of  interest 
there." 

The  Captain  led  the  way  as  he  spoke. 

They  lingered  awhile  in  the  lower  room  exam 
ining  with  great  interest  the  tablets  and  histori 
cal  pictures,  sculptured  in  bronze,  alto  rilievo^ 
which  adorned  its  walls. 

"  Oh,  Papa,  see  !  "  cried  Lulu  ;  "  here  is  Mrs. 
Schuyler  setting  fire  to  a  field  of  wheat  to  keep 
the  British  from  getting  it,  I  suppose." 

"Yes,"  her  father  said;  "these  are  Revolu 
tionary  scenes." 

"  Here  is  George  III.,"  said  Max,  "  consult 
ing  with  his  ministers  how  he  shall  subdue  the 
Americans.  Ha,  ha !  they  did  their  best,  but 
could  n't  succeed.  My  countrymen  of  that  day 
would  be  free." 

"  As  Americans  always  will,  I  hope  and  be 
lieve,"  said  Lulu.  "I  feel  sure  your  country 
women  will  anyhow." 

At  that  her  father,  giving  her  a  smile  of  min 
gled  pleasure  and  amusement,  said,  "  Now  we 
will  go  up  to  the  top  of  the  shaft,  and  take  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  surrounding  country." 

They  climbed  the  winding  stairway  to  its  top, 
and  from  thence  had  a  view  of  not  only  the  bat 
tle-field,  but  of  other  historic  spots  also  lying  in 
all  directions. 

Max  and  Lulu  were  deeply  interested,  and 


14  ELSIE  YACHTING 

had  many  questions  to  ask,  which  their  father 
answered  with  unfailing  patience. 

But,  indeed,  ardent  patriot  that  he  was,  he 
keenly  enjoyed  making  his  children  fully  ac 
quainted  with  the  history  of  their  country,  and 
there  was  much  connected  with  the  surrounding 
scenes  which  it  was  a  pleasure  to  relate,  or  re 
mind  them  of,  as  having  happened  there. 

From  the  scenes  of  the  fight  and  the  surrender 
they  drove  on  to  the  Marshall  place,  the  Captain 
giving  the  order  as  they  reseated  themselves  in 
the  carriage. 

"The  Marshall  place,  Papa?  What  about 
it?"  asked  Max  and  Lulu  in  a  breath. 

"  It  is  a  house  famous  for  its  connection  with 
the  fighting  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Saratoga," 
replied  the  Captain.  "  It  was  there  the  Baroness 
Riedesel  took  refuge  with  her  children  on  the 
10th  of  October,  1777,  about  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  going  there  with  her  three  little  girls, 
trying  to  get  as  far  from  the  scene  of  conflict  as 
she  well  could." 

"Oh,  yes,  sir!"  said  Max.  "I  remember, 
now,  that  there  was  a  Baron  Riedesel  in  the 
British  army,  —  a  Hessian  officer,  in  command 
of  four  thousand  men;  wasn't  he,  Papa?" 

"Yes;  and  his  wife  seems  to  have  been  a 
lovely  woman.  She  nursed  poor  General  Frazer 
in  his  dying  agonies.  You  may  remember  that  he 
was  killed  by  one  of  Morgan's  men  in  the  battle 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  15 

of  Bemis  Heights,  or  Saratoga,  fought  on  the 
7th,  —  or  rather,  I  should  say,  he  was  mortally 
wounded  and  carried  to  the  Taylor  House,  where 
the  Baroness  Riedesel  had  prepared  a  dinner  for 
the  officers,  which  was  standing  partly  served 
upon  the  table.  He  lay  there  in  great  agony 
until  the  next  morning,  and  then  died." 

"  Oh,  yes,  Papa,  I  remember  about  him !  " 
said  Lulu ;  "  and  that  he  was  buried  the  same 
evening  in  the  Great  Redoubt,  which  was  a  part 
of  the  British  intrenchments  on  the  hills  near 
the  river." 

"  Yes,  the  strongest  part,"  said  Max.  "  I 
remember  reading  of  it,  and  that  the  Americans 
opened  fire  on  the  procession  from  the  other  side 
of  the  river,  not  understanding  what  it  was ;  so 
that  while  the  chaplain  was  reading  the  service 
at  the  grave,  hostile  shots  were  ploughing  up  the 
ground  at  his  feet,  and  covering  the  party  with 
dust." 

"  Oh,  Papa,  won't  you  take  us  to  see  his 
grave  ?  "  asked  Lulu. 

"  Yes,  daughter,  if  we  have  time." 

"  Here  we  are,  sir.  This  is  the  Marshall 
place,"  announced  the  driver,  reining  in  his 
horses  in  front  of  a  modest-looking  farm-house  ; 
"and  here  comes  a  lad  that'll  show  you 
round,  and  tell  you  the  whole  story  of  what 
happened  in  and  about  here  in  the  time  of  the 
Revolution." 


16  ELSIE  YACHTING 

The  Captain  quickly  alighted,  helped  Lulu  out, 
and  Max  sprang  after  them. 

The  lad  had  already  opened  the  gate,  and 
lifted  his  hat  with  a  bow  and  smile.  **  Good- 
morning  ! "  he  said. 

Captain  Raymond  returned  the  salutation, 
adding,  "I  would  like  very  much  to  show  my 
children  those  parts  of  your  house  here  con 
nected  with  Revolutionary  memories,  if  — " 

"  Oh,  yes,  sir ;  yes ! "  returned  the  boy,  pleas 
antly.  "I  '11  take  you  in  and  about;  it's  quite 
the  thing  for  visitors  to  Saratoga  to  come  over 
here  on  that  errand." 

He  led  the  way  into  the  house  as  he  spoke, 
the  Captain,  Max,  and  Lulu  following. 

They  passed  through  a  hall,  and  on  into  the 
parlour,  without  meeting  any  one. 

"  This,"  said  the  lad,  "  is  the  northeast  room, 
where  Surgeon  Jones  was  killed  by  a  cannon- 
ball  ;  perhaps  you  may  remember  about  it,  sir. 
The  doctors  were  at  work  on  him,  cutting  off  a 
wounded  leg,  when  a  ball  came  in  at  that  north- 
aast  corner  and  took  off  his  other  leg  in  its  way 
diagonally  across  the  room.  They  gave  up  try 
ing  to  save  him,  then,  and  left  him  to  die  in  yon 
corner,"  pointing  to  it  as  he  spoke. 

" Poor  fellow  !"  sighed  Lulu.  "I  can't  help 
feeling  sorry  for  him,  though  he  was  an  enemy 
to  my  country." 

41  No,  Miss,  it  was  a  pity,  and  does  make  ona 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  17 

feel  sorry ;  for  I  suppose  he  really  had  no  choice 
but  to  obey  the  orders  of  his  king,"  returned  the 
lad.  "  Well,  the  ball  passed  on,  broke  through 
the  plank  partition  of  the  hall,  and  buried  itself 
in  the  ground  outside.  They  say  eleven  cannon- 
balls  passed  through  the  house  in  just  a  little 
while.  For  my  part,  I  'd  rather  have  been  in  a 
battle  than  keeping  quiet  here  to  be  shot  at." 

"  I  certainly  would,"  said  the  Captain. 

"  I,  too,"  said  Max.  "  I  should  say  there  was 
very  little  fun  in  standing  such  a  fire  with  no 
chance  to  return  it." 

"  Yes  ;  and  our  people  would  never  have  fired 
on  them  if  they  had  known  they  were  women, 
children,  and  wounded  men  ;  but  you  see  they  — 
the  Americans  —  saw  people  gathering  here,  and 
though'  the  British  were  making  the  place  their 
headquarters.  So  they  trained  their  artillery  on 
it,  and  opened  such  a  fire  as  presently  sent  every 
body  to  the  cellar.  Will  you  walk  down  and  look 
at  that,  sir?"  addressing  the  Captain. 

"If  it  is  convenient,"  he  returned,  following 
with  Max  and  Lulu  as  their  young  guide  led  the 
way. 

11  Quite,  sir,"  he  answered  ;  then,  as  they 
entered  the  cellar,  "  There  have  been  some 
changes  in  the  hundred  years  and  more  that 
have  passed  since  that  terrible  time,"  he  said. 
"  You  see  there  is  but  one  partition  wall  now ; 
there  were  two  then,  but  one  has  been  torn 
2 


18  ELSIE  YACHTING 

down,  and  the  floor  cemented.  Otherwise  the 
cellars  are  just  as  they  were  at  the  time  of  the 
fight;  only  a  good  deal  cleaner,  I  suspect,"  he 
added,  with  a  smile,  "  for  packed  as  they  were 
with  women,  children,  and  wounded  officers  and 
soldiers,  there  must  have  been  a  good  deal  of 
filth  about,  as  well  as  bad  air." 

"  They  certainly  are  beautifully  clean,  light, 
and  sweet  now,  whatever  they  may  have  been 
on  that  October  day  of  1777,"  the  Captain  said, 
glancing  admiringly  at  the  rows  of  shining  milk- 
pans  showing  a  tempting  display  of  thick  yellow 
cream,  and  the  great  fruit-bins  standing  ready 
for  the  coming  harvest. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  to  me  it  seems  a  rather  inviting- 
looking  place  at  present,"  returned  the  lad, 
glancing  from  side  to  side  with  a  smile  of  satis 
faction  ;  "  but  I  've  sometimes  pictured  it  to  my 
self  as  it  must  have  looked  then,  —  crowded,  you 
know,  with  frightened  women  and  children,  and 
wounded  officers  being  constantly  brought  in  for 
nursing,  in  agonies  of  pain,  groaning,  and  per 
haps  screaming,  begging  for  water,  which  could 
be  got  only  from  the  river,  a  soldier's  wife  bring 
ing  a  small  quantity  at.  a  time." 

"Yes,  a  woman  could  do  that,  of  course," 
said  Lulu ;  "for  our  soldiers  would  never  fire 
on  a  woman,  —  certainly  not  for  doing  such  a 
thing  as  that." 

"No,  of  course  not,"  exclaimed  Max,  in  a 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  19 

scornful  tone.  "  American  men  fire  on  a  woman 
doing  such  a  thing  as  that  ?  I  should  say  not ! " 
"  No,  indeed,  I  should  hope  not ! "  returned 
their  young  conductor,  leading  the  way  from  the 
cellar  to  the  upper  hall,  and  out  into  the  grounds. 
"Yonder,"  he  said,  pointing  with  his  finger, 
"  away  to  the  southwest,  Burgoyne's  troops  were 
stationed ;  the  German  auxiliaries,  too,  were 
resting  from  their  fight,  near  Bemis  Heights. 
Away  to  the  west  there,  Morgan's  famous  rifle 
men  were  taking  up  their  position  along  Bur 
goyne's  front,  and  flank,  while  Colonel  Fellows 
was  over  yonder,"  turning  to  the  east  and  again 
pointing  with  his  finger,  "  bringing  his  batteries 
to  bear  upon  the  British.  Just  as  the  Baroness 
Kledesel  in  her  calash  with  her  three  little  girls 
stopped  before  the  house,  some  American  sharp 
shooters  across  the  river  levelled  their  muskets, 
and  she  had  barely  time  to  push  her  children  to 
the  bottom  of  the  wagon  and  throw  herself  down 
beside  them,  before  the  bullets  came  whistling 
overhead.  Neither  she  nor  the  little  folks  were 
hurt,  but  a  soldier  belonging  to  their  party  was 
badly  wounded.  The  Baroness  and  her  children 
spent  the  night  there  in  the  cellar.  So  did  other 
ladies  from  the  British  army  who  followed  her  to 
this  retreat  that  afternoon.  They  were  in  one 
of  its  three  divisions,  the  wounded  officers  in 
another,  and  the  common  soldiers  occupied  the 
third." 


20  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  It  must  have  been  a  dreadful  night  to  the 
poor  Baroness  and  those  little  girls,"  remarked 
Lulu,  who  was  listening  with  keenest  interest. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  responded  the  lad  ;  "  the  cries 
and  groans  of  the  wounded,  the  darkness,  damp 
ness,  and  filth  and  stench  of  the  wounds,  all 
taken  together,  must  have  made  an  awful  night 
for  them  all.  I  wonder,  for  my  part,  that  the 
women  and  children  weren't  left  at  home  in 
their  own  countries." 

"  That 's  where  they  ought  to  have  been,  I 
think,"  said  Lulu.  *'  Was  it  that  night  Surgeon 
Jones  was  killed?" 

"  No,  Miss,  the  next  day,  when  the  Americans 
began  firing  again  harder  than  ever." 

"Where  were  they  firing  from  then?"  Lulu 
asked. 

"  The  other  side  of  the  river,  Miss  ;  probably 
from  some  rising  ground  a  little  north  of  Batten 
Kil." 

"  Well,  sir,  what  more  have  you  to  show  us?  " 
asked  the  Captain,  pleasantly. 

"  A  plank  cut  and  shattered  at  one  end,  prob 
ably  by  the  ball  that  killed  the  Surgeon.  This 
way,  if  you  please;  here  it  is.  And  here  is  a 
rafter  which  you  see  has  been  partly  cut  in  two 
by  a  shell.  It  was  taken  out  of  the  frame  of  the 
house  while  they  were  repairing  in  1868.  Here 
are  some  other  bits  of  shot  and  shell  that  have 
been  ploughed  up  on  the  farm  at  different  times 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  21 

Ah !  there  are  some  things  at  the  house  I  should 
have  shown  you." 

"  We  will  not  mind  going  back  so  short  a  dis 
tance,"  said  the  Captain,  "  and  would  be  glad  to 
see  everything  you  have  to  show  us." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  think  you  will  say  these 
things  are  worth  looking  at." 

He  led  them  back  into  the  house  and  ex 
hibited,  first,  a  gold  coin  with  the  figure  and 
inscription  of  George  III.  on  one  side,  the  Brit 
ish  arms  and  an  inscription  with  the  date  1776 
on  the  other,  then  a  curious  old  musket,  with 
bayonet  and  flint  lock,  which  was  carried  in  the 
Revolutionary  War  by  an  ancestor  of  the  family 
now  residing  there. 


22  ELSIE  YACHTING 


CHAPTER  n. 

"You  may  take  us  now  to  Frazer's  grave," 
Captain  Raymond  said  to  the  driver  as  they 
re-entered  their  carriage  after  a  cordial  good-by 
and  liberal  gift  to  their  young  guide. 

"  Please  tell  us  something  more  about  Frazer, 
Papa,  won't  you  ?  "  requested  Lulu. 

"  Willingly,"  returned  her  father.  "  Frazer 
was  a  brave  and  skilful  officer ;  made  brigadier- 
general  for  America  only,  by  Carleton,  in  June, 
1776.  He  helped  to  drive  the  Americans  out  of 
Canada  in  that  year.  Burgoyne  chose  him  to 
command  the  light  brigade  which  formed  the 
right  wing  of  the  British  army,  so  that  he  was 
constantly  in  the  advance.  In  the  fight  of  Octo 
ber  7th  he  made  a  conspicuous  figure,  dressed  in 
the  full  uniform  of  a  field-officer,  mounted  on  a 
splendid  iron-gray  gelding,  and  exerting  himself 
to  encourage  and  cheer  on  his  men.  Morgan 
saw  how  important  he  was  to  the  British  cause, 
pointed  him  out  to  his  sharpshooters,  and  bade 
them  cut  him  off.  « That  gallant  officer,'  he  said, 
*  is  General  Frazer.  I  admire  and  honour  him ; 
but  it  is  necessary  he  should  die,  because  victory 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  23 

for  the  enemy  depends  upon  him.  Take  your  sta 
tions  in  that  clump  of  bushes,  and  do  your  duty ! ' 
They  obeyed,  and  in  five  minutes  Frazer  fell 
mortally  wounded,  and  was  carried  from  the  field 
by  two  grenadiers.  Only  a  few  moments  before 
he  was  hit,  the  crupper  of  his  horse  was  cut  by  a 
rifle-ball,  and  directly  afterward  another  passed 
through  the  horse's  mane,  a  little  back  of  his 
ears.  Then  his  aide  said,  '  General,  it  is  evident 
that  you  are  marked  out  for  particular  aim ; 
would  it  not  be  prudent  for  you  to  retire  from 
this  place  ? '  4  My  duty  forbids  me  to  retire  from 
danger,'  Frazer  answered ;  and  the  next  moment 
he  fell.  That  is  Lossing's  account ;  and  he  goes 
on  to  say  that  Morgan  has  been  censured  for  the 
order  by  some  persons,  professing  to  understand 
the  rules  of  war,  as  guilty  of  a  highly  dishonour 
able  act ;  also  by  others,  who  gloat  over  the  hor 
rid  details  of  the  slaying  of  thousands  of  humble 
rank-and-file  men  as  deeds  worthy  of  a  shout  for 
glory,  and  have  no  tears  to  shed  for  the  slaugh 
tered  ones,  but  affect  to  shudder  at  such  a  cold 
blooded  murder  of  an  officer  on  the  battle-field. 
But,  as  Lossing  justly  remarks,  the  life  of  an 
officer  is  no  dearer  to  himself,  his  wife,  and  chil 
dren,  than  that  of  a  private  to  his,  and  that 
the  slaying  of  Frazer  probably  saved  the  lives 
of  hundreds  of  common  soldiers." 

*'  Yes,   Papa,"  returned  Max,   thoughtfully ; 
**  and  so  I  think  Morgan  deserves  all  praise  for 


24  ELSIE  YACHTING 

giving  that  order  to  his  men.  If  Frazer  did  not 
want  to  lose  his  life,  he  should  not  have  come 
here  to  help  crush  out  liberty  in  this  country." 

' '  Papa,  do  you  think  he  hated  the  Americans  ?  " 
asked  Lulu. 

"  No,  I  presume  not ;  his  principal  motive  in 
coming  here  and  taking  an  active  part  in  the 
war  was  probably  to  make  a  name  for  himself 
as  a  brave  and  skilful  officer, — *at  least,  so  I 
judge  from  his  dying  exclamation,  l  Oh,  fatal 
ambition ! ' " 

"  How  different  he  was  from  our  Washington," 
exclaimed  Max.  "He  seemed  to  want  nothing 
for  himself,  and  sought  only  his  country's  good. 
Papa,  it  does  seem  to  me  that  Washington  was 
the  greatest  mere  man  history  tells  of." 

"I  think  so,"  responded  the  Captain;  "he 
seems  to  have  been  so  entirely  free  from  self 
ishness,  ambition,  and  pride.  And  yet  he  had 
enemies  and  detractors,  even  among  those  who 
wished  well  to  the  cause  for  which  he  was  doing 
so  much." 

"  Such  a  burning  shame !  "  cned  Lulu,  her  eyes 
flashing.  "  Was  Gates  one  of  them,  Papa? " 

"  Yes ;  to  his  shame,  be  it  said,  he  was.  He 
treated  Washington  with  much  disrespect,  giving 
him  no  report  whatever  of  the  victory  at  Sara 
toga.  It  was  not  until  early  in  November  that 
he  wrote  at  all  to  the  commander-in-chief,  and 
then  merely  mentioned  the  matter  incidentally. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  25 

In  that  month  Gates  was  made  president  of  the 
new  Board  of  War  and  Ordnance,  and  during 
the  following  winter  he  joined  with  what  is 
known  as  the  '  Conway  cabal '  in  an  effort  to 
supplant  Washington  in  the  chief  command  of 
the  army." 

"  What  a  wretch  !  "  exclaimed  Lulu.  "  It 
would  have  been  a  very  bad  thing  for  our  cause 
if  he  had  succeeded,  —  would  n't  it,  Papa  ?  " 

"  Without  doubt,"  answered  the  Captain ; 
"  for  though  Gates  had  some  very  good  quali 
ties,  he  was  far  from  being  fit  to  fill  the  position 
held  by  Washington." 

"  He  was  n't  a  good  Christian  man,  like  Wash 
ington,  was  he,  Papa?"  she  asked. 

"  No,  not  by  any  means  at  that  time,  though 
It  is  said  —  I  hope  with  truth  —  that  he  afterward 
became  one.  He  was  arrogant,  untruthful,  and 
faad  an  overweening  confidence  in  his  own  ability. 
Yet  he  had  some  noble  traits ;  he  emancipated 
his  slaves,  and  provided  for  those  who  were  un 
able  to  take  care  of  themselves.  Also,  he  was, 
it  is  said,  a  good  and  affectionate  husband  and 
father." 

"  Papa,  was  n't  it  known  whose  shot  killed 
Frazer?"  queried  Max. 

' '  Yes  ;  it  was  that  of  a  rifleman  named  Tim 
othy  Murphy.  He  was  posted  in  a  small  tree, 
took  deliberate  aim,  and  saw  Frazer  fall.  Frazer, 
too,  told  some  one  he  saw  the  man  who  shot  him, 


26  ELSIE  YACHTING 

and  that  he  was  in  a  tree.  Murphy  was  one  of 
Morgan's  surest  shots." 

"I  should  think  he  must  always  have  felt 
badly  about  it,  only  that  he  knew  he  did  it  to 
help  save  his  country,"  said  Lulu. 

"It  seemed  to  be  necessary  for  the  salvation 
of  our  country,"  replied  her  father;  "and  no 
doubt  that  thought  prevented  Murphy's  con 
science  from  troubling  him." 

"Didn't  the  Americans  at  first  fire  on  the 
funeral  proces'sion,  Papa?"  asked  Lulu. 

"  Yes ;  but  ceased  as  soon  as  they  understood 
the  nature  of  the  gathering,  and  at  regular  in 
tervals  the  solemn  boom  of  a  single  cannon  was 
heard  along  the  valley.  It  was  a  minute-gun, 
fired  by  the  Americans  in  honour  of  their  fallen 
foe,  the  gallant  dead.  Ah,  here  we  are  at  his 
grave ! "  added  the  Captain,  as  horses  and 
vehicle  came  to  a  standstill  and  the  carriage- 
door  was  thrown  open. 

They  alighted  and  walked  about  the  grave  and 
its  monument,  pausing  to  read  the  inscription  on 
the  latter. 

"  Though  an  enemy  to  our  country,  he  was  a 
gallant  man,  a  brave  and  good  soldier,"  remarked 
the  Captain,  reflectively. 

"Yes,  Papa;  and  I  can't  help  feeling  sorry 
for  him,"  said  Lulu.  "  I  suppose  he  had  to  obey 
his  king's  orders  of  course ;  he  could  n't  well 
help  it,  and  probably  he  had  no  real  hatred  to 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  27 

the  people  of  this  country.  It  does  seem  hard 
that  he  had  to  die  and  be  buried  so  far  away 
from  all  he  loved." 

"  Yes,"  said  Max ;  "  but  he  had  to  be  killed 
to  save  our  country,  since  he  would  use  his  time 
and  talents  in  trying  to  help  reduce  her  to  slavery. 
I  'm  sorry  for  him,  too ;  but  as  he  would  put  his 
talents  to  so  wrong  a  use,  there  was  no  choice 
but  to  kill  him,  —  isn't  that  so,  Papa?" 

"I  think  so,"  replied  the  Captain;  "but  it 
was  a  great  pity.  Frazer  was  a  brave  officer, 
idolized  by  his  own  men,  and  respected  by  even 
his  enemies." 

"  It  seems  sad  he  should  lie  buried  so  far 
away  from  all  he  loved,  —  all  his  own  people ; 
and  in  a  strange  land,  too.  But  he  could  hardly 
lie  in  a  lovelier  spot,  I  think,"  remarked  Lulu ; 
"  the  hills,  the  mountains,  the  beautiful  river, 
the  woods,  the  fields,  and  these  tall  twin  pine* 
trees  standing  like  sentinels  beside  his  grave,  — 
oh(  I  think  it  is  just  lovely !  I  think  he  showed 
excellent  taste  in  his  choice  of  a  burial-place." 

"  Yes,  nice  place  enough  to  lie  in,  if  one  could 
only  be  on  top  of  the  ground  and  able  to  see 
what  it 's  like,"  came  in  hollow  tones,  seemingly 
from  the  grave. 

The  Captain  glanced  at  his  son  with  a  slightly 
amused  smile. 

Lulu  was  startled  for  an  instant ;  then,  with  a 
little  laugh,  as  her  father  took  her  hand  and  ted 


28  ELSIE   YACHTING 

her  back  to  the  waiting  carriage,  "  Oh,  Maxie, 
that  was  almost  too  bad,  though  he  was  an  enemy 
to  our  country ! "  she  exclaimed. 

"  I  would  n't  have  done  it  if  I  'd  thought  it 
would  hurt  his  feelings,"  returned  Max,  in  a  tone 
of  mock  regret;  "but  I  really  didn't  suppose 
he  'd  know  or  care  anything  about  it." 

"Where  now,  sir?"  asked  the  driver  as  the 
Captain  handed  Lulu  to  her  seat. 

"  To  the  Schuyler  mansion,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Oh,  I  'm  glad  we  're  going  there  ! "  exclaimed 
Lulu.  "  I  've  always  liked  everything  I  've  heard 
about  General  Schuyler ;  and  I  '11  be  ever  so  glad 
to  see  the  house  he  used  to  live  in." 

"It  isn't  the  same  house  that  Burgoyne  ca 
roused  in  the  night  after  the  battle  of  Bemis 
Heights,  is  it,  Papa?"  asked  Max. 

"  No ;  that  was  burned  by  Burgoyne's  orders 
a  few  days  later,"  replied  the  Captain. 

"And  when  was  this  one  built?"  asked 
Lulu. 

"  That  is  a  disputed  point,"  said  her  father. 
"  Some  say  it  was  shortly  after  the  surrender  in 
1777;  others,  not  until  soon  after  the  peace  of 
1783." 

"Anyhow  it  was  General  Schuyler's  house, 
and  so  we  '11  be  glad  to  see  it,"  she  said.  "  Papa, 
is  it  on  the  exact  spot  where  the  other  —  the  first 
one  —  was?  The  one  Burgoyne  caroused  in,  I 
mean." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  29 

**  They  say  not,  quite ;  that  it  stands  a  little 
to  the  west  of  where  the  first  one  did." 

* '  But  General  Schuyler  owned  and  lived  in  it, 
which  makes  it  almost,  if  not  quite,  as  well  worth 
seeing  as  the  first  one  would  have  been,"  said 
Max. 

"  Yes,"  assented  the  Captain.  "  It  was  on  his 
return  from  Bemis  Heights  that  Burgoyne  took 
possession  of  the  mansion  for  his  headquarters ; 
that  was  on  the  evening  of  the  9th  of  October. 
His  troops,  who  had  been  marching  through  mud, 
water,  and  rain  for  the  last  twenty-four  hours, 
with  nothing  to  eat,  encamped  unfed  on  the  wet 
ground  near  Schuylerville,  while  he  and  his  cro 
nies  feasted  and  enjoyed  themselves  as  though 
the  sufferings  of  the  common  soldiery  were  noth 
ing  to  them." 

"  "Was  n't  that  the  night  before  the  day  the 
Baroness  Riedesel  went  to  the  Marshall  place  ? " 
queried  Max. 

"Yes,"  replied  his  father.  "  Her  husband, 
General  Riedesel,  and  others,  urgently  remon 
strated  against  the  unnecessary  and  imprudent 
delay,  and  counselled  hasty  retreat ;  but  Bur 
goyne  would  not  listen  to  their  prudent  advice. 
"While  the  storm  beat  upon  his  hungry,  weary 
soldiers  lying  without  on  the  rain-soaked  ground, 
he  and  his  mates  held  high  carnival  within, 
'spending  the  night  in  merry-making,  drinking, 
and  carousing." 


80  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  What  a  foolish  fellow !  "  said  Max.  "  1 
wonder  that  he  didn't  rather  spend  it  in  slip 
ping  away  from  the  Americans  through  the 
darkness  and  storm." 

"  Or  in  getting  ready  to  fight  them  again  the 
next  day,"  added  Lulu. 

"I  think  there  was  fighting  the  next  day, — 
wasn't  there,  Papa?"  said  Max. 

"  Yes  ;  though  not  a  regular  battle.  Burgoyne 
was  attempting  a  retreat,  which  the  Americans, 
constantly  increasing  in  numbers,  were  pre 
venting, —  destroying  bridges,  obstructing  roads 
leading  northward,  and  guarding  the  river  to 
the  eastward,  so  that  the  British  troops 
could  not  cross  it  without  exposure  to  a  mur 
derous  artillery  fire.  At  last,  finding  his  pro 
visions  nearly  exhausted,  himself  surrounded 
by  more  than  five  times  his  own  number  of 
troops,  and  all  his  positions  commanded  by  his 
enemy's  artillery,  the  proud  British  general 
surrendered." 

"And  it  was  a  great  victory,  —  wasn't  it, 
Papa?"  asked  Lulu. 

'  "  It  was,  indeed !  and  God,  the  God  of  our 
fathers,  gave  it  to  the  American  people.  The  time 
was  one  of  the  great  crises  of  history.  Before 
that  battle  things  looked  very  dark  for  the  people 
of  this  land ;  and  if  Burgoyne  had  been  victori 
ous,  the  probability  is  that  the  struggle  for  lib 
erty  would  have  been  given  up  for  no  one  knows 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  31 

how  long.  Perhaps  we  might  have  been  still 
subject  to  England." 

"  And  that  would  be  dreadful !  "  she  exclaimed 
with  warmth,  —  "  would  n't  it,  Max  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed !  "  he  assented,  his  cheek  flush 
ing,  and  his  eye  kindling;  "the  idea  of  this 
great  country  being  governed  by  that  bit  of 
an  island  away  across  the  sea!  I  just  feel 
sometimes  as  if  I'd  like  to  have  helped  with 
the  fight." 

"  In  that  case,"  returned  his  father,  with  an 
amused  look,  "you  would  hardly  be  here  now; 
or,  if  you  were,  you  would  be  old  enough  to  be 
my  grandfather." 

"  Then  I  'm  glad  I  was  n't,  sir,"  laughed  Max ; 
**  for  I  'd  rather  be  your  son  by  a  great  deal. 
Papa,  was  n't  it  about  that  time  the  stars  and 
stripes  were  first  used?" 

"  No,  my  son ;  there  was  at  least  one  used 
before  that,"  the  Captain  said  with  a  half  smile, 
—  "at  Fort  Schuyler,  which  was  attacked  by  St. 
Leger  with  his  band  of  British  troops,  Canadi 
ans,  Indians,  and  Tories,  early  in  the  previous 
August.  The  garrison  was  without  a  flag  when 
the  enemy  appeared  before  it,  but  soon  supplied 
themselves  by  their  own  ingenuity,  tearing  shirts 
into  strips  to  make  the  white  stripes  and  stars, 
joining  bits  of  scarlet  cloth  for  the  red  stripes, 
and  using  a  blue  cloth  cloak,  belonging  to  one 
of  the  officers,  as  the  groundwork  for  the  stars. 


82  ELSIE  YACHTING 

Before  sunset  it  was  waving  in  the  breeze  over 
one  of  the  bastions  of  the  fort,  and  no  doubt 
its  makers  gazed  upon  it  with  pride  and 
pleasure." 

"  Oh,  that  was  nice ! "  exclaimed  Lulu.  "  But 
I  don't  remember  about  the  fighting  at  that  fort. 
Did  St.  Leger  take  it,  Papa?" 

"No;  the  gallant  garrison  held  out  against 
him  till  Arnold  came  to  their  relief.  The  story 
is  a  very  interesting  one ;  but  I  must  reserve  it 
for  another  time,  as  we  are  now  nearing  Schuy- 
ler's  mansion." 

The  mansion  was  already  in  sight,  and  in  a 
few  moments  their  carriage  had  drawn  up  in 
front  of  it.  They  were  politely  received,  and 
shown  a  number  of  interesting  relics. 

The  first  thing  that  attracted  their  attention 
was  an  artistic  arrangement  of  arms  on  the  wall 
fronting  the  great  front  door. 

"Oh,  what  are  those?"  Lulu  asked  in  eager 
tones,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  them  in  an  intensely 
interested  way.  "  Please,  sir,  may  I  go  and 
look  at  them?"  addressing  the  gentleman  who 
had  received  them  and  now  invited  them  to 
walk  in. 

"Yes,  certainly,"  he  answered  with  a  smile, 
and  leading  the  way.  "This,"  he  said,  touch 
ing  the  hilt  of  a  sword,  "  was  carried  at  the 
battle  of  Bennington  by  an  aide  of  General 
Stark.  This  other  ^  sword,  and  this  musket 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  33 

and  cartridge-box,  belonged  to  John  S  trover, 
and  were  carried  by  him  in  the  battles  of  the 
Revolution." 

"  Valuable  and  interesting  souvenirs,"  re 
marked  Captain  Raymond. 

They  were  shown  other  relics  of  those  troub 
lous  times,  —  shells,  grape,  knee  and  shoe 
buckles,  grubbing-hooks,  and  other  things  that 
had  been  picked  up  on  the  place  in  the  years 
that  had  elapsed  since  the  struggle  for  inde 
pendence.  But  what  interested  Max  and  Lulu 
still  more  than  any  of  these  was  a  beautiful 
teacup,  from  which,  as  the  gentleman  told 
them,  General  Washington,  while  on  a  visit 
to  General  Schuyler,  had  drunk  tea  made  from 
a  portion  of  one  of  those  cargoes  of  Boston 
harbour  fame. 

"  That  cup  must  be  very  precious,  sir,"  re 
marked  Lulu,  gazing  admiringly  at  it.  "  If 
it  were  mine,  money  could  n't  buy  it  from 
me." 

"No,"  he  returned  pleasantly;  "and  I  am 
sure  you  would  never  have  robbed  us,  as  some 
vandal  visitor  did  not  long  ago,  of  a  saucer 
and  plate  belonging  to  the  same  set." 

"No,  no,  indeed!"  she  replied  with  em 
phasis,  and  looking  quite  aghast  at  the  very 
idea.  "  Could  anybody  be  so  wicked  as 
that?" 

"  Somebody  was."  he  said  with  a  slight  sigh; 
3 


34  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  and  it  has  made  us  feel  it  necessary  to  be  more 
careful  to  whom  we  show  such  things.  Now  let 
me  show  you  the  burial-place  of  Thomas  Love 
lace,"  he  added,  leading  the  way  out  into  the 
grounds. 

"  I  don't  remember  to  have  heard  his  story, 
sir,"  said  Max,  as  they  all  followed  in  the  gen 
tleman's  wake ;  "  but  I  would  like  to  very  much 
indeed.  Papa,  I  suppose  you  Know  all  about 
him." 

"  I  presume  this  gentleman  can  tell  the  story 
far  better  than  I,"  replied  the  Captain,  with  an 
inquiring  look  at  their  guide. 

"  I  will  do  my  best,"  he  said  in  reply.  "  You 
know,  doubtless,"  with  a  glance  at  Max  and  his 
sister,  "  what  the  Tories  of  the  Revolution  were. 
Some  of  them  were  the  bitterest  foes  of  their 
countrymen  who  were  in  that  fearful  struggle 
for  freedom, — wicked  men,  who  cared  really  for 
nothing  but  enriching  themselves  at  the  expense 
of  others,  and  from  covetousness  became  as 
relentless  robbers  and  murderers  of  their  neigh 
bours  and  former  friends  as  the  very  savages  of 
the  wilderness.  Lovelace  was  one  of  these,  and 
had  become  a  terror  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  his 
native  district  of  Saratoga.  He  went  to  Canada 
about  the  beginning  of  the  war,  and  there  con- 
iederated  with  five  other  men  like  himself  to 
come  back  to  this  region  and  plunder,  betray, 
and  abduct  those  who  were  struggling  for  free* 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  35 

dom  from  their  British  oppressors, — old  neigh 
bours,  for  whom  he  should  have  felt  only  pity  and 
kindness,  even  if  he  did  not  see  things  in  just 
the  same  light  that  they  did.  These  miscreants 
had  their  place  of  rendezvous  in  a  large  swamp, 
about  five  miles  from  Colonel  Van  Vetchen's,  cun 
ningly  concealing  themselves  there.  Robberies 
in  that  neighbourhood  became  frequent,  and  sev 
eral  persons  were  carried  off.  General  Stark, 
then  in  command  of  the  barracks  north  of  Fish 
Creek,  was  active  and  vigilant;  and  hearing 
that  Lovelace  and  his  men  had  robbed  General 
Schuyler's  house,  and  were  planning  to  carry  off 
Colonel  Van  Vetchen,  frustrated  their  design  by 
furnishing  the  Colonel  with  a  guard.  Then 
Captain  Dunham,  who  commanded  a  company 
of  militia  in  the  neighbourhood,  hearing  of  the 
plans  and  doings  of  the  marauders,  at  once  sum 
moned  his  lieutenant,  ensign,  orderly,  and  one 
private  to  his  house.  They  laid  their  plans, 
waited  till  dark,  then  set  out  for  the  big  swamp, 
which  was  three  miles  distant.  There  they  sep 
arated  to  reconnoitre,  and  two  of  them  were  lost ; 
but  the  other  three  kept  together,  and  at  dawn 
came  upon  the  hiding-place  of  the  Tory  robbers. 
They  were  up,  and  just  drawing  on  then:  stock 
ings.  The  three  Americans  crawled  cautiously 
toward  them  till  quite  near,  then  sprang  upon  a 
log  with  a  shout,  levelled  their  muskets,  and 
Dunham  called  out,  *  Surrender,  or  you  are  all 


36  ELSIE  YACHTING 

dead  men!'  The  robbers,  thinking  the  Amerf. 
cans  were  upon  them  in  force,  surrendered  at 
once,  coming  out  one  at  a  time  without  their 
arms,  and  were  marched  off  to  General  Stark's 
camp,  and  given  up  to  him  as  prisoners.  They 
were  tried  by  a  court-martial  as  spies,  traitors, 
and  robbers ;  and  Lovelace,  who  was  considered 
too  dangerous  to  be  allowed  to  escape,  was 
condemned  to  be  hanged.  He  complained  that 
his  sentence  was  unjust,  and  that  he  should 
be  treated  as  a  prisoner  of  war;  but  his  claim 
was  disallowed,  and  he  was  hanged  here  amid 
a  violent  storm  of  wind,  rain,  thunder,  and 
lightning." 

"They  hung  him  as  a  spy,  did  they,  sir?" 
asked  Max. 

"As  a  spy  and  murderer.  He  was  both; 
and,"  pointing  out  the  precise  spot,  "  after  his 
execution  he  was  buried  here  in  a  standing 
posture." 

"And  his  bones  are  lying  right  under  here 
are  they,  sir?"  asked  Lulu,  shuddering  as  she 
glanced  down  at  the  spot  the  gentleman  had 
indicated. 

"No,"  was  the  reply;  "his  bones,  and  even 
his  teeth,  have  been  carried  off  as  relics." 

"Ughl  to  want  such  things  as  those  for 
relics!"  Lulu  exclaimed  in  a  tone  of  emphatic 
disgust. 

"  They  are  certainly  not  such  relics  as  I  would 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  37 

care  to  have,"  returned  the  gentleman,  with  a 
smile.  Then  he  told  the  Captain  he  had  shown 
them  everything  he  had  which  could  be  called  a 
souvenir  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  with 
hearty  thanks  they  took  their  leave. 


S3  ELSIE  YACHTING 


CHAFFER  m. 

IT  was  dinner-time  when  Captain  Raymond 
and  his  children  reached  their  hotel,  and  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  meal  they  went  immediately  to 
the  station  of  the  Mount  McGregor  road.  There 
was  just  time  for  the  buying  of  the  tickets  and 
seating  themselves  comfortably  in  the  cars  before 
the  train  started. 

**  Papa,  how  long  will  it  take  us  to  go  there  ?  " 
asked  Lulu. 

"  Thirty-five  minutes,"  he  answered.  "  It  is 
about  ten  miles  to  the  mountain ;  then  we  go 
up  about  eleven  hundred  feet  above  Saratoga 
Springs." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Max ;  "  and  here  on  this 
time-table  it  says  that  in  some  places  the  grade 
is  as  high  as  two  hundred  and  forty-six  feet  to 
the  mile." 

"  Set  that  down  in  your  memory,"  returned 
his  father,  with  a  smile.  "  Now  look  out  of  the 
windows,  Max  and  Lulu;  the  country  is  well 
worth  seeing." 

The  ride  seemed  very  short,  —  it  was  so  enjoy 
able, —and  Lulu  was  quite  surprised  when  the 
car  stopped  and  all  the  passengers  hurried  out. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  39 

Every  one  went  into  the  Drexel  Cottage,  which 
was  close  at  hand.  A  man  showed  them  about, 
pointing  out  the  objects  of  special  interest,  — the 
bed  where  General  Grant  died,  the  candle  he  had 
extinguished  but  a  few  minutes  before  breathing 
his  last,  and  so  on. 

They  spent  some  time  in  the  cottage,  going 
quietly  about,  looking  with  a  sad  interest  at 
everything  which  had  any  connection  with  the 
dear  departed  great  man,  then  went  on  up  to 
the  mountain  top,  where  stood  a  large  hotel. 
They  passed  it,  and  went  on  to  the  edge  of  the 
mountain,  which  overlooks  the  Hudson  Kiver 
valley. 

"  Oh,  what  a  lovely  view ! "  cried  Lulu,  in  de 
light.  "  What  mountains  are  those,  Papa?" 

"  Those  to  the  east,"  he  replied,  pointing  in 
that  direction  as  he  spoke,  "  are  the  Green 
Mountains,  those  to  the  north  are  the  Adiron- 
dacks,  and  those  to  the  south  the  Catskills." 

"  Oh,  Lu,  look  yonder !  "  cried  Max.  "  There 's 
Schuylerville  with  its  monument,  I  do  believe,  — 
isn't  it,  Papa?" 

"  Yes,  you  are  right,  —  the  place  of  Burgoyne's 
surrender,  which  we  visited  this  morning,"  the 
Captain  answered.  "  Now  suppose  we  go  to  the 
observatory  at  the  top  of  the  hotel,  and  take 
the  view  from  there." 

Max  and  Lulu  gave  an  eager  assent  to  the 
proposal.  There  were  a  good  many  stairs  to 


40  ELSIE   YACHTING 

climb,  but  the  view  fully  repaid  them  for  the 
exertion.  They  spent  some  minutes  in  gazing 
upon  it,  then  descended  and  wandered  through 
the  woods  till  the  train  was  ready  to  start  down 
the  mountain. 

Max  and  Lulu  were  tired  enough  to  go  to  bed 
at  dark;  and  the  next  morning  they  took  an 
early  train  to  Albany,  where  they  boarded  a  fine 
steamer,  which  would  carry  them  down  the  Hud 
son  River  to  West  Point,  where,  to  the  children's 
great  delight,  their  father  had  promised  to  stay 
a  day  or  two,  and  show  them  all  of  historical 
Interest  connected  with  the  spot. 

It  was  the  first  tnp  on  the  Hudson  that  Max 
or  his  sister  had  ever  taken,  and  they  enjoyed  it 
greatly,  —  all  the  more  because  their  father  was 
sufficiently  familiar  with  the  scenes  through 
which  they  were  passing  to  call  their  attention 
to  whatever  was  best  worth  noticing,  and  give 
all  desired  information  in  regard  to  it,  doing  so 
in  the  kindest  and  pleasantest  manner  possible. 
The  weather  was  all  that  could  be  desired,  — 
cloudy,  with  an  occasional  shower,  seldom  heavy 
enough  to  obscure  the  .view  to  any  great  extent, 
and  just  cooling  the  air  pleasantly,  as  Lulu  re 
marked  with  much  satisfaction. 

It  was  not  raining  when  they  landed  at  West 
Point,  though  clouds  still  veiled  the  sun.  They 
took  a  carriage  near  the  wharf,  and  drove  to  the 
hotel.  As  they  alighted,  some  gentlemen  were 


WITH  TEE  RAYMONDS.  41 

talking  upon  its  porch,  one  of  whom  was  in  mili 
tary  uniform. 

"  Raymond,  this  is  a  meeting  as  delight 
ful  as  unexpected,  —  to  me  at  least ! "  he 
exclaimed,  coming  hastily  forward  with  out 
stretched  hand. 

"  Keith,  I  don't  know  when  I  have  had  a 
pleasanter  surprise ! "  returned  Captain  Ray 
mond,  taking  the  offered  hand  and  shaking  it 
heartily,  while  his  eyes  shone  with  pleasure. 
"You  are  not  here  permanently?" 

"  No ;  only  on  a  furlough.     And  you? " 

"  Just  for  a  day  or  two,  to  show  my  chil 
dren  our  military  academy  and  the  points 
of  historical  interest  in  its  vicinity,"  replied 
Captain  Raymond,  glancing  down  upon  them 
with  a  smile  of  fatherly  pride  and  affection. 
"  Max  and  Lulu,  this  gentleman  is  Lieutenant 
Keith,  of  whom  you  have  sometimes  heard  me 
speak,  and  whom  your  mamma  calls  Cousin 
Donald." 

"Your  children,  are  they?  Ah,  I  think  I 
might  have  known  them  anywhere  from  their 
remarkable  resemblance  to  you,  Raymond  !  "  Mr. 
Keith  said,  shaking  hands  first  with  Lulu,  then 
with  Max. 

He  chatted  pleasantly  with  them  for  a  few 
minutes,  while  their  father  attended  to  engag 
ing  rooms  and  having  the  baggage  taken  up  to 
them.  When  he  rejoined  them  Keith  asked, 


42  ELSIE   YACHTING 

«*  May  I  have  the  pleasure  of  showing  you  about, 
Raymond  ?  " 

" Thank  you;  no  better  escort  could  be  de 
sired,"  replied  the  Captain,  heartily,  "you  being 
a  valued  friend  just  met  after  a  long  separation, 
and  also  an  old  resident  here,  thoroughly  com 
petent  for  the  task,  and  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  all  the  points  of  interest." 

"I  think  I  may  say  I  am  that,"  returned 
Keith,  with  a  smile;  "and  it  will  give  me  the 
greatest  pleasure  to  show  them  to  you,  —  as 
great,  doubtless,  as  you  seemed  to  find  some 
years  ago  in  showing  me  over  your  man-of-war. 
But  first,  let  us  take  a  view  from  the  porch  here. 
Yonder,"  pointing  in  a  westerly  direction,  "  at 
the  foot  of  the  hills,  are  the  dwellings  of  the  offi 
cers  and  professors.  In  front  of  them  you  see 
the  parade-ground ',  there,  on  the  south  side,  are 
the  barracks.  There  is  the  Grecian  chapel, 
yonder  the  library  building,  with  its  domed 
turrets,  and  there  are  the  mess  hall  and  hos 
pital."  Then  turning  toward  the  west  again, 
"  That  lofty  summit,"  he  said,  "  is  Mount 
Independence,  and  the  ruins  that  crown  it  are 
those  of  'Old  Fort  Put.'  That  still  loftier 
peak  is  Redoubt  Hill.  There,  a  little  to  the 
north,  you  see  Old  Cro'  Nest  and  Butter 
Hill.  Now,  directly  north,  through  that  mag 
nificent  cleft  in  the  hills,  you  can  see  Newburgh 
and  its  bay.  Of  the  scenery  in  the  east  we 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  43 

will  have  a  better  view  from  the  ruins  of 
*  Old  Put.' " 

"  No  doubt,"  said  the  Captain.  "  Shall  we  go 
up  there  at  once  ?  " 

' '  If  you  like,  Raymond.  I  always  enjoy  the 
view ;  It  more  than  pays  for  the  climb.  But," 
and  Mr.  Keith  glanced  somewhat  doubtfully  at 
Lulu,  "  shall  we  not  take  a  carriage?  I  fear  the 
walk  may  be  too  much  for  your  little  girl. " 

"What  do  you  say,  Lulu?"  her  father  asked 
with  a  smiling  glance  at  her. 

"  Oh,  I  'd  rather  walk,  Papa !  "  she  exclaimed. 
"  We  have  been  riding  so  much  for  the  last  week 
and  more  ;  and  you  know  I  'm  strong  and  well, 
and  dearly  love  to  climb  rocks  and  hills." 

"Very  well,  you  shall  do  as  you  like,  and 
have  the  help  of  Papa's  hand  over  the  hard 
places,"  he  said,  offering  it  as  he  spoke. 

She  put  hers  into  it  with  a  glad  look  and  smile 
up  into  his  face  that  almost  made  Donald  Keith 
envy  the  Captain  the  joys  of  fatherhood. 

They  set  off  at  once.  Lulu  found  it  a  rather 
hard  climb,  or  that  it  would  have  been  without 
her  father's  helping  hand  ;  but  the  top  of  Mount 
Independence  was  at  length  reached,  and  the  lit 
tle  party  stood  among  the  ruins  of  Fort  Putnam. 
They  stood  on  its  ramparts  recovering  breath 
after  the  ascent,  their  faces  turned  toward  the 
east,  silently  gazing  upon  the  beautiful  panorama 
spread  out  at  their  feet. 


44  ELSIE  YACHTING 

It  was  the  Captain  who  broke  the  silence. 
"  You  see  that  range  of  hills  on  the  farther  side 
of  the  river,  children?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  both  replied  with  an  inquiring  look 
up  into  his  face. 

"  In  the  time  of  the  Revolution  every  pinnacle 
was  fortified,  and  on  each  a  watch-fire  burned," 
he  said. 

"  They  had  a  battery  on  each,  Papa? "  queried 


"  Yes  ;  but  yonder,  at  their  foot,  stands  some 
thing  that  will  interest  you  still  more,  —  the 
Beverly  House,  from  which  Arnold  the  traitor 
fled  to  the  British  ship  'Vulture,'  on  learning 
that  Andre  had  been  taken." 

"  Oh,  is  it,  sir?"  exclaimed  Max,  in  a  tone  of 
intense  interest.  "  How  I  would  like  to  visit  it, 
• — can  we,  Papa?" 

"I,  too  ;  oh,  very  much !  "  said  Lulu.  "  Please 
take  us  there,  —  won't  you,  Papa?  " 

"  I  fear  there  will  be  hardly  time,  my  dears ; 
but  I  will  see  about  it,"  was  the  indulgent  reply. 

"  You  have  been  here  before,  Raymond? "  Mr. 
Keith  said  inquiringly. 

"Yes;  on  my  first  bridal  trip,"  the  Captain 
answered  in  a  low,  moved  tone,  and  sighing 
slightly  as  the  words  left  his  lips. 

"With  our  own  mother,  Papa?"  asked  Lulu, 
softly,  looking  up  into  his  face  with  eyes  full  of 
love  and  sympathy. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  45 

"  Yes,  daughter ;  and  she  enjoyed  the  view 
very  much  as  you  are  doing  now." 

"  I  'm  glad  ;  I  like  to  think  she  saw  it  once.'* 

An  affectionate  pressure  of  the  hand  he  held 
was  his  only  reply.  Then  turning  to  his  friend, 
"  It  is  a  grand  view,  Keith,"  he  said  ;  "  and  one 
that  always  stirs  the  patriotism  in  my  blood,  in 
herited  from  ancestors  who  battled  for  freedom 
in  those  Revolutionary  days." 

"It  is  just  so  with  myself,"  replied  Keith ; 
u  and  the  view  is  a  grand  one  in  itself,  though 
there  were  no  such  association,  —  a  superb  pano 
rama  !  The  beautiful,  majestic  river  sweeping 
about  the  rock- bound  promontory  below  us  there, 
with  its  tented  field;  yonder  the  distant  spires 
of  Newburgh,  and  the  bright  waters  of  its  bay, 
seen  through  that  magnificent  cleft  in  the  hills," 
pointing  with  his  finger  as  he  spoke,  —  "  ah,  how 
often  I  have  seen  it  all  in  imagination  when  out 
in  the  far  West  scouting  over  arid  plains,  and 
among  desolate  barren  hills  and  mountains, 
where  savages  and  wild  beasts  abound!  At 
times  an  irrepressible  longing  for  this  very  view 
has  come  over  me,  —  a  sort  of  homesickness, 
most  difficult  to  shake  off." 

"  Such  as  years  in  the  ports  of  foreign  lands 
have  sometimes  brought  upon  me,"  observed  the 
Captain,  giving  his  friend  a  look  of  heartfelt 
sympathy. 

"  Dear  Papa,  I  'm  so  glad  that  is  all  over," 


46  ELSIE   YACHTING 

Lulu  said  softly,  leaning  lovingly  up  against  him 
as  she  spoke,  and  again  lifting  to  his  eyes  her 
own  so  full  of  sympathy  and  affection.  "Oh, 
It  is  so  pleasant  to  have  you  always  at  home 
with  us ! " 

A  smile  and  an  affectionate  pressure  of  the  lit- 
ole  soft  white  hand  he  held  were  his  only  reply. 

"  Ah,  my  little  girl,  when  Papa  sees  a  man-of- 
war  again,  he  will  be  likely  to  wish  himself  back 
In  the  service  once  more !  "  remarked  Keith,  in  a 
sportive  tone,  regarding  her  with  laughing  eyes. 

"  No,  sir,  I  don't  believe  it,"  she  returned 
stoutly.  "  Papa  loves  his  home  and  wife  and 
children  too  well  for  that;  besides,  he  has  re 
signed  from  the  navy,  and  I  don't  believe  they  'd 
take  him  back  again." 

"Well,  Lu,"  said  Max,  "that's  a  pretty  way 
to  talk  about  Papa !  Now,  it 's  my  firm  convic 
tion  that  they'd  be  only  too  glad  to  get  him 
back." 

"  That's  right,  Max ;  stand  up  for  your  father 
always,"  laughed  Keith.  "He  is  worthy  of  it; 
and  I  don't  doubt  the  government  would  be 
ready  to  accept  his  services  should  he  offer 
them." 

"Of  course,"  laughed  the  Captain ;  "  but  I  in 
tend  to  give  them  those  of  my  son  instead," 
turning  a  look  upon  Max  so  proudly  tender  and 
appreciative  that  the  lad's  young  heart  bounded 
with  joy. 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  47 

"  Ah,  is  that  so  ?  "  said  Keith,  gazing  appre 
ciatively  into  the  lad's  bright  young  face.  "Well, 
I  have  no  doubt  he  will  do  you  credit.  Max,  my 
boy,  never  forget  that  you  have  the  credit  of  an 
honourable  name  to  sustain,  and  that  in  so  doing 
you  will  make  your  father  a  proud  and  happy 
man." 

"  That  is  what  I  want  to  do,  sir,"  replied  Max, 
modestly.  Then  hastily  changing  the  subject, 
"Papa,  is  that  town  over  there  Phillipstown ? " 

"  Yes  ;  what  do  you  remember  about  it?  " 

"That  a  part  of  our  Revolutionary  army  was 
camped  there  in  1781.  And  there,  over  to  the 
left,  is  Constitution  Island,  —  is  n't  it,  sir  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  his  father ;  then  went  on  to 
tell  of  the  building  of  the  fort  from  which  the 
island  takes  its  name,  and  its  abandonment  a 
few  days  after  the  capture  by  the  British  of 
Forts  Clinton  and  Montgomery,  near  the  lower 
entrance  to  the  Highlands,  in  1777. 

"  Such  a  pity,  after  they  had  been  to  all  the 
expense  and  trouble  of  building  it ! "  remarked 
Lulu. 

"Yes,  quite  a  waste,"  said  Max;  "but 
war's  a  wasteful  business  anyway  it  can  be 
managed." 

"Quite  tme,  Max,"  said  Mr.  Keith;  "and 
soldier  though  I  am,  I  sincerely  hope  we  may 
have  no  more  of  it  in  this  land." 

"  No,  sir ;  but  the  best  way  to  keep  out  of  it 


48  ELSIE   YACHTING 

is  to  show  ourselves  ready  for  self-defence.  That 
is  what  Papa  says." 

"  And  I  entirely  agree  with  him.  Shall  we  go 
now,  Raymond,  and  see  what  of  interest  is  to  be 
found  in  the  buildings  and  about  the  grounds  of 
the  academy  ?  " 

The  Captain  gave  a  ready  assent,  and  they 
retraced  their  steps,  he  helping  Lulu  down  the 
mountain  as  he  had  helped  her  up. 

Keith  took  them,  first,  to  the  artillery  labo 
ratory  to  see,  as  he  said,  some  trophies  and  relics 
of  the  Revolution.  Conducting  them  to  the  centre 
of  the  court,  "Here,"  he  remarked,  "  are  some 
interesting  ones,"  pointing,  as  he  spoke,  to  sev 
eral  cannon  lying  in  a  heap,  and  encircled  by  some 
links  of  an  enormous  chain. 

"Oh,"  exclaimed  Max,  "is  that  part  of  the 
great  chain  that  was  stretched  across  the  Hud 
son,  down  there  by  Constitution  Island,  in  the 
tune  of  the  Revolution?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Keith.  "  And  these  two  brass 
mortars  were  taken  from  Burgoyne  at  Saratoga ; 
this  larger  one,  Wayne  took  from  the  British  at 
Stony  Point.  I  dare  say  you  and  your  sister  are 
acquainted  with  the  story  of  that  famous  exploit." 

"  Oh,  yes,  sir !  "  they  both  replied  ;  and  Lulu 
asked,  "  Is  that  the  English  coat-of-arms  on  the 
big  cannon  ?  " 

Her  look  directed  the  query  to  her  father,  and 
he  answered,  "  Yes." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  49 

"And  what  do  these  words  below  it  mean, 
Papa,  — '  Aschaleh  fecit,  1741 '?  " 

"  Aschaleh  is  doubtless  the  name  of  the  maker ; 
*  fecit'  means  he  executed  it,  and  1741  gives  the 
time  when  it  was  done." 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  she  said.  "Is  there  any 
story  about  that  one  ?  "  pointing  to  another  can 
non  quite  near  at  hand. 

"  Yes,"  he  said  ;  "  by  its  premature  discharge, 
In  1817,  a  cadet  named  Lowe  was  killed.  In 
the  cemetery  is  a  beautiful  monument  to  his 
memory." 

"  Here  are  two  brass  field-pieces,  each  marked 
'G.  R.,"'  said  Max.  "Do  those  letters  stand 
for  George  Rex,  —  King  George,  —  Papa  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  that  was  the  monogram  of  the 
king." 

"  And  the  cannon  is  fourteen  years  younger 
than  those  others,"  remarked  Lulu ;  "  for,  see 
there,  it  says,  '  W.  Bowen  fecit,  1755.'" 
\  "  Oh,  here 's  an  inscription !  "  exclaimed  Max, 
and  read  aloud,  "  '  Taken  from  the  British 
army,  and  presented,  by  order  of  the  United 
States,  in  Congress  assembled,  to  Major-General 
Green,  as  a  monument  of  their  high  sense  of  the 
wisdom,  fortitude,  and  military  talents  which 
distinguished  his  command  in  the  Southern  de 
partment,  and  of  the  eminent  services  which, 
amid  complicated  dangers  and  difficulties,  he 
performed  for  his  country.  October  18th,  1783.' 
4 


50  ELSIE   YACHTING 

Oh,  that  was  right ! "  supplemented  the  lad,  "  for 
I  do  think  Green  was  a  splendid  fellow." 

"  He  was,  indeed ! "  said  the  Captain  ;  "  and 
he  has  at  last  been  given  such  a  monument  as  he 
should  have  had  very  many  years  sooner." 

"  Where  is  it,  Papa?"  asked  Lulu. 

*'  In  Washington.  It  is  an  equestrian  statue, 
by  Henry  Kirke  Brown." 

"Yes;  and  very  glad  I  am  that  even  that 
tardy  act  of  justice  has  been  done  him,  —  one  of 
the  bravest  and  most  skilful  commanders  of  our 
Revolutionary  War,"  remarked  Mr.  Keith.  Then 
he  added,  "  I  think  we  have  seen  about  all  you 
will  care  for  here,  Raymond,  and  that  you  might 
enjoy  going  out  upon  the  parade-ground  now. 
The  sun  is  near  setting,  and  the  battalion  will 
form  presently,  and  go  through  some  interesting 
exercises." 

"  Thank  you ! "  the  Captain  said.  "  Let  us, 
then,  go  at  once,  for  I  see  Max  and  his  sister 
are  eager  for  the  treat,"  he  added,  with  a  smiling 
glance  from  one  brightly  expectant  young  face 
***  the  other. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.      51 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THEY  reached  the  parade-ground  just  in  time 
to  see  the  battalion  forming  under  arms,  and 
Max  and  Lulu  watched  every  movement  with 
intense  interest  and  delight,  —  the  long  skirmish 
lines  firing  in  advance  or  retreat,  picking  off  dis 
tant  imaginary  leaders  of  a  pretended  enemy  in 
reply  to  the  ringing  skirmish  calls  of  the  key- 
bugles,  deploying  at  the  run,  rallying  at  the 
reserves  and  around  the  colours. 

That  last  seemed  to  delight  Lulu  more  than 
anything  else.  u  Oh,"  she  exclaimed,  "is n't  it 
lovely !  "Would  n't  they  all  fight  for  the  dear  old 
flag  if  an  enemy  should  come  and  try  to  tear  it 
down ! " 

"I'm  inclined  to  think  they  would,"  returned 
Mr.  Keith,  smiling  at  her  enthusiasm.  "  Now 
look  at  the  flag  waving  from  the  top  of  the  staff 
yonder." 

The  words  had  scarcely  left  his  lips  when  there 
came  the  sudden  bang  of  the  sunset  gun,  and  the 
flag  quickly  fluttered  to  the  earth. 

Then  followed  the  march  of  the  cadets  to  their 
supper,  and  our  little  party  turned,  about  and 
went  in  search  of  theirs. 


52  ELSIE   YACHTING 

On  leaving  the  table  they  went  out  upon  the 
hotel  porch  and  seated  themselves  where  the 
view  was  particularly  fine,  the  gentlemen  con 
versing,  Max  and  Lulu  listening,  both  tired 
enough  to  be  quite  willing  to  sit  still. 

The  talk,  which  was  principally  of  ordnance 
and  various  matters  connected  with  army  and 
navy,  had  greater  interest  for  the  boy  than  for 
his  sister,  and  Lulu  soon  laid  her  head  on  her 
father's  shoulder,  and  was  presently  in  the  land 
of  dreams. 

"  My  poor,  tired,  little  girl !  "  he  said,  low  and 
tenderly,  softly  smoothing  the  hair  from  her  fore 
head  as  he  spoke. 

At  that  she  roused,  and  lifting  her  head,  said 
coaxingly,  "Please  don't  send  me  to  bed  yet, 
Papa !  I  'm  wide  awake  now." 

"Are  you,  indeed?"  he  laughed.  "I  think 
khose  eyes  look  rather  heavy ;  but  you  may  sit 
$p  now  if  you  will  agree  to  sleep  in  the  morning 
vhen  Max  and  I  will  probably  be  going  out  to 
see  the  cadets  begin  their  day.  Would  you  like 
to  go,  Max  ?  " 

"Yes,  indeed,  sir!"  answered  Max,  in  eager 
tones ;  "  it 's  about  five  o'clock  we  have  to  start, 
—  is n't  it?" 

"Yes,  Max.  Lieutenant  Keith  has  kindly 
offered  to  call  us  in  season,  and  become  our 
escort  to  the  camp." 

"  Oh,  Papa,  may  n't  I  go  too?  "  pleaded  Lulu, 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  53 

in  the  most  coaxing  tones.  "  I  won't  give  you 
the  least  bit  of  trouble." 

"  You  never  do,  daughter,  in  regard  to  such 
matters ;  you  are  always  prompt,  and  ready  in 
good  season." 

"  Then  do  you  say  I  may  go,  Papa?" 

"  Yes,  if  you  will  go  to  bed  at  once,  in  order 
to  secure  enough  sleep  by  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning." 

"Oh,  thank  you,  sir!  Yes,  indeed,  I  will," 
she  said,  hastily  rising  to  her  feet,  and  bidding 
good-night  to  Mr.  Keith." 

"  I,  too,"  said  Max,  following  her  example. 

"Good  children,"  said  their  father;  then  no 
ticing  the  longing  look  in  Lulu's  eyes,  he  excused 
himself  to  his  friend,  saying  he  would  join  him 
again  presently,  and  went  with  them. 

"  That  is  a  beautiful,  bright,  engaging,  little 
girl  of  yours,  Raymond,  —  one  that  any  father 
might  be  proud  of,"  remarked  Keith  when  the 
Captain  had  resumed  the  seat  by  his  side. 

"  She  seems  all  that  to  me  ;  but  I  have  some 
times  thought  it  might  be  the  blindness  of  pa 
rental  affection  that  makes  the  child  so  lovely 
and  engaging  in  her  father's  eyes,"  returned  the 
Captain,  in  tones  that  spoke  much  gratification. 

"  I  think,  indeed  I  am  sure,  not,"  returned 
Keith.  "About  how  old  is  she?" 

"Thirteen.  Actually,  she '11  be  a  woman  be 
fore  I  know  it !  "  was  the  added  exclamation  in 


54  ELSIE  YACHTING 

a  tone  of  dismay.  "  I  don't  like  the  thought  of 
losing  my  little  girl  even  in  that  way." 

"  Ah,  you  '11  be  likely  to  lose  her  in  another 
before  many  years  ! "  laughed  his  friend.  "  She  '11 
make  a  lovely  woman,  Raymond !  " 

"  I  think  you  are  right,"  answered  the  father ; 
**  and  I  confess  that  the  thought  of  another  gain 
ing  the  first  place  in  her  heart  —  which  I  know  is 
mine  now  —  is  far  from  pleasant  to  me.  Well, 
it  cannot  be  for  some  years  yet,  and  I  shall  try 
not  to  think  of  it.  Perhaps  she  may  never  care 
to  leave  her  father." 

"  I  don't  believe  she  will  if  she  is  wise.  You 
are  a  fortunate  man,  Raymond !  Your  son  —  the 
image  of  his  father  —  is  not  less  attractive  than 
his  sister,  and  evidently  a  remarkably  intelligent 
lad.  He  will  make  his  mark  in  the  navy ;  and  I 
dare  say  we  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him 
an  admiral  by  the  time  we  —  you  and  I  —  are 
gray-headed,  old  veterans." 

"Perhaps  so,"  returned  the  Captain,  with  a 
pleased  smile;  "but  promotion  is  slow  in  the 
navy  in  these  days  of  peace." 

"  Quite  true ;  and  as  true  of  the  army  as  of 
the  navy.  But  even  that  is  to  be  preferred  to 
war,  —  eh,  Raymond  ?  " 

"  Most  decidedly,"  was  the  emphatic  reply. 

"You  leave  for  home  to-morrow  evening,  I 
think  you  said?"  was  Keith's  next  remark,  made 
in  an  inquiring  tone. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  55 

"  That  is  my  plan  at  present,"  replied  the 
Captain,  "though  I  would  stay  a  little  longer 
rather  than  have  the  children  disappointed  in 
their  hope  of  seeing  everything  about  here  that 
has  any  connection  with  the  Revolution." 

"They  seem  to  be  ardent  young  patriots," 
said  Keith.  "  It  does  one  good  to  see  their 
pride  and  delight  in  the  flag.  How  their  eyes 
shone  at  the  sight  of  the  rally  round  the  colours." 

"  Yes ;  and  they  feel  an  intense  interest  in 
everything  that  has  any  connection  with  the 
Revolutionary  struggle.  They  get  it  in  the 
blood ;  and  it  has  been  their  father's  earnest 
endeavour  to  cultivate  in  them  an  ardent  love  of 
country." 

"  In  which  he  has  evidently  been  remarkably 
successful,"  returned  Keith.  "  I  am  much  mis 
taken  if  that  boy  does  not  do  you  great  credit 
while  in  the  Naval  Academy,  and,  as  I  re 
marked  a  moment  since,  after  fairly  entering 
the  service." 

"  A  kind  and  pleasant  prediction,  Keith,"  the 
Captain  said,  giving  his  friend  a  gratified  1  ook. 

"How  many  children  have  you,  Raymond?" 
was  the  next  question. 

"  Only  five,"  the  Captain  said,  with  a  happy 
laugh,  —  "  five  treasures  that  should,  it  seems 
to  me,  make  any  man  feel  rich ;  also,  a  sweet, 
beautiful,  young  wife,  who  is  to  her  husband 
worth  far  more  than  her  weight  in  gold.  '  Hei 


56  ELSIE   YACHTING 

price  is  above  rubies.'  And  you,  Keith,  —  you 
have  not  told  me  whether  you  have  yet  found 
your  mate." 

"  No,  not  yet.  I  sometimes  think  I  never  shall, 
but  shall  soon  become  a  confirmed  old  bachelor," 
Keith  replied.  Then,  after  an  instant's  pause, 
"  I  wonder  if  Lulu's  father  would  give  her  to  me 
should  I  wait  patiently  till  she  is  old  enough  to 
know  her  own  mind  in  such  matters,  and  then 
succeed  in  winning  her  heart?" 

"Ah,  Keith,  is  that  a  serious  thought  or  a 
mere  idle  jest?"  queried  the  Captain,  turning  a 
surprised  and  not  altogether  pleased  look  upon 
his  friend. 

"  A  sort  of  mixture  of  the  two,  I  believe,  Ray 
mond,"  was  the  laughing  reply  ;  "  but  I  have  n't 
the  least  idea  of  putting  any  such  mischief  into 
your  daughter's  head,  —  at  least,  not  at  present. 
But  if  I  ask  your  permission  half  a  dozen  years 
hence  to  pay  my  court  to  her,  I  hope  it  will  not 
be  refused." 

"Well,  Keith,"  the  Captain  said,  after  a  mo 
ment's  silence,  "  I  should  be  very  lo^itb  to  stand 
in  the  way  of  your  happiness,  —  still  more  of 
that  of  my  dear  daughter ;  but  the  time  is  so  far 
off  that  we  need  not  discuss  the  question  now. 
My  little  girl  seems  still  the  merest  child,  with 
no  thought  of  the  cares,  pleasures,  and  duties  of 
womanhood  ;  and  I  wish  to  keep  her  so  as  long 
as  I  can.  That  is  one  reason  why  I  rejoice  in 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  57 

being  able  to  educate  her  myself  in  our  .own 
home  ;  and  thus  far  the  loves  of  the  dear  ones  in 
it  have  seemed  all-sufficient  for  her  happiness. 
And  I  own  to  being  particularly  pleased  with 
her  oft-repeated  assurance  that  she  loves  Papa 
better  than  she  does  any  one  else  in  all  the  wide 
world." 

"Ah,  I  do  not  wonder  that  she  does,  for  her 
father  is  altogether  worthy  of  all  the  love  she  can 
give  him  !  "  Keith  said,  with  a  half-sigh,  thinking 
of  the  loneliness  of  his  lot  compared  with  that  of 
the  Captain. 

"  Keith,"  the  Captain  said,  after  a  moment's 
silence,  "  you  tell  me  your  furlough  will  not  ex 
pire  for  some  weeks  yet.  Can  you  not  spend 
them  with  us  at  the  sea-shore  ?  " 

Donald  demurred  a  little  at  first,  saying  he 
had  made  other  plans ;  and  besides,  his  going 
might  interfere  with  his  cousins'  arrangements. 

"  Not  the  slightest  danger  of  that,"  the  Cap 
tain  averred;  "and  I  am  certain  that  one  and 
all  will  be  delighted  to  see  you." 

"  And  I  own  to  being  fairly  hungry  for  a  sight 
of  them,"  laughed  Donald.  "  So,  Raymond, 
your  invitation  is  accepted,  and  on  your  own 
head  be  the  consequences." 

"  No  objection  to  that ;  I'm  delighted  to  have 
you  on  any  terms,  reasonable  or  otherwise,"  the 
Captain  said,  with  his  pleasant  smile. 

Max   and    Lulu   had    an    hour   or    more    of 


58  ELSIE  YACHTING 

good  refreshing  sleep  before  the  two  gentlemen 
separated  for  the  night. 

Captain  Kaymond  went  very  softly  into  Lulu's 
room,  and  stood  for  a  moment  by  the  bedside 
looking  fondly  down  into  the  rosy,  sleeping  face, 
then,  bending  over  her,  kissed  her  tenderly  on 
cheek  and  lip  and  brow. 

Her  eyes  opened  wide  and  looked  up  into  his, 
while  a  glad  smile  broke  over  her  face. 

"You  dear,  good  Papa,  to  come  in  and  kiss 
me  again !  "  she  said,  putting  her  arm  round  his 
neck  and  returning  his  caresses.  "  Oh,  I  do 
think  I  have  just  the  very  dearest,  kindest,  best 
father  in  the  whole  wide  world ! " 

"That's  rather  strong,  isn't  it?"  he  re 
turned,  laughing,  but  at  the  same  time  gather 
ing  her  up  in  his  arms  for  a  moment's  petting 
and  fondling.  Then,  laying  her  down  again, 
*'  I  did  not  mean  to  wake  you,"  he  said ;  "  and 
I  want  you  now  to  go  to  sleep  again  as  fast 
as  you  can,  because,  though  to-morrow  will,  I 
hope,  be  a  very  enjoyable  day  to  you  and  Max, 
it  is  probable  you  will  find  it  quite  fatiguing 
also." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  I  don't  mean  to  think  about  it 
now,  else  I  'd  be  wide  awake  presently,  and  may 
be  not  sleep  any  more  to-night,"  Lulu  answered 
drowsily,  her  eyes  closing  while  she  spoke. 

He  was  turning  away,  when  she  roused  suffi 
ciently  to  ask  another  question.  "  Papa,  will 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  59 

you  please  wake  me  when  the  time  raaaes  to 
get  up?" 

"  Yes,  daughter,"  he  replied.  a  Do  not  ta% 
the  fear  of  not  waking  in  season  rob  you  of  ft 
moment's  sleep.  I  think  you  may  safely  trust  to 
your  father  to  attend  to  that  for  you." 

It  seemed  to  Lulu  that  but  a  few  moments  had 
passed  when  her  father's  voice  spoke  again  close 
to  her  side. 

"Wake  up  now,  little  daughter,  if  you  want 
to  go  with  Papa  and  Max  to  see  what  the  cadets 
will  be  doing  in  their  camp  for  the  next  hour 
or  so." 

"Oh,  yes,  indeed,  I  do!"  she  cried,  wide 
awake  in  an  instant.  "Good-morning;  and 
thank  you  ever  so  much  for  calling  me,  dear 
Papa !  "  and  with  the  words  her  arms  were  round 
his  neck,  her  kisses  on  his  cheek. 

He  gave  her  a  hearty  embrace  in  turn ;  and 
then,  with  a  "  Now,  my  darling,  you  must  make 
haste,  we  have  only  ten  minutes ;  but  I  shall 
bring  you  back  to  rearrange  your  toilet  before 
going  down  to  breakfast,"  he  released  her  and 
went  back  to  his  own  room. 

Lulu  made  quick  work  of  her  dressing,  and 
when  her  father  tapped  at  her  door  to  say  it  was 
time  to  go,  was  quite  ready. 

They  found  Mr.  Keith  waiting  on  the  porch, 
exchanged  a  pleasant  "  good-morning"  with  him, 
and  at  once  started  for  the  camp. 


60  ELSIE   YACHTING 

Max  and  Lulu  were  in  gayest  spirits,  and  were 
allowed  to  laugh  and  talk  till  the  little  party 
drew  near  the  camp,  when  their  father  bade 
them  be  quiet,  and  amuse  themselves  for  the 
present  by  looking  and  listening. 

He  spoke  in  a  kind,  pleasant  tone,  and  they 
obeyed  at  once. 

Down  by  the  guard- tents  they  could  see  a  dim , 
drowsy  gleam,  as  of  a  lantern  ;  the  gas-jets  along 
the  way  seemed  to  burn  dimly,  too,  as  the  day 
light  grew  stronger,  and  up  about  the  hill-tops 
on  the  farther  side  of  the  river  the  sky  was  grow 
ing  rosy  and  bright  with  the  coming  day.  But 
all  was  so  quiet,  so  still,  where  the  tents  were 
that  it  seemed  as  if  everybody  there  must  be  still 
wrapped  in  slumber  ;  and  Lulu  was  beginning  to 
think  Mr.  Keith  must  have  called  for  them  a  lit 
tle  earlier  than  necessary,  when  a  sudden  gleam 
and  rattle  among  the  trees  almost  made  her 
jump,  so  startled  was  she,  while  at  the  same 
instant  a  stern,  boyish  voice  called  out,  "Who 
comes  there?"  and  a  sentry  stood  before  them 
wrapped  in  an  overcoat,  —  for  the  morning  was 
very  cool  up  there  among  the  mountains,  —  and 
with  the  dew  dripping  from  his  cap. 

"  Friends,  with  the  countersign,"  replied  Mr. 
Keith. 

"  Halt,  friends !  Advance  one  with  the  coun 
tersign,"  commanded  the  sentry ;  and  while  the 
Captain  and  his  children  stood  still  where  they 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  61 

were,  Mr.  Keith  stepped  up  to  the  levelled  bayo 
net  and  whispered  a  word  or  two  in  the  ear  of 
the  young  sentinel  which  at  once  caused  a  change 
in  his  attitude  toward  our  party,  —  respectful  at 
tention  taking  the  place  of  the  fierce  suspicion. 
"  Advance,  friends  !  "  he  said,  bringing  his  heels 
together  and  his  rifle  to  the  carry,  then  stood  like 
a  statue  while  they  passed  on  into  the  camp  he 
guarded. 

Max  and  Lulu,  remembering  their  father's 
order  to  them  to  keep  quiet,  said  nothing,  but 
were  careful  to  make  the  very  best  use  of  their 
eyes. 

Down  by  the  tents,  on  the  south  and  east  sides, 
they  could  see  sentries  pacing  their  rounds,  but 
there  was  as  yet  no  sound  or  movement  among 
the  occupants. 

Some  drummer-boys  were  hurrying  over  the 
plain  toward  the  camp,  while  a  corporal  and  two 
cadets  were  silently  crossing  to  the  northeast 
corner,  where  stood  a  field-piece  dripping  with 
dew. 

Max  motioned  to  Lulu  to  notice  what  they 
were  doing,  and  as  he  did  so  they  had  reached 
the  gun,  and  there  was  a  dull  thud  as  they 
rammed  home  their  cartridge. 

The  drummer- boys  were  chattering  together  in 
low  tones,  glancing  now  and  again  at  the  clock 
in  the  "  Academic  "  tower  over  on  the  other  side 
»f  the  plain.  Suddenly  a  mellow  stroke  began 


62  ELSIE   YACHTING 

to  tell  the  hour,  but  the  next  was  drowned  in  the 
roar  of  the  gun  as  it  belched  forth  fire  and  smoke, 
while  at  the  same  instant  drum  and  fife  broke 
forth  in  the  stirring  strains  of  the  reveille. 

Lulu  almost  danced  with  delight,  looking  up 
into  her  father's  face  with  eyes  shining  with 
pleasure.  His  answering  smile  was  both  fond 
and  indulgent  as  he  took  the  small  white  hand 
in  his  with  a  loving  clasp ;  but  it  was  no  time 
for  words  amid  the  thunder  of  the  drums  play 
ing  their  march  in  and  about  the  camp. 

Lulu  could  see  the  tent-flaps  raised,  drowsy 
heads  peering  out,  then  dozens  of  erect,  slender 
lads,  in  white  trousers  and  tight-fitting  coatees, 
coming  out  with  buckets,  and  hurrying  away  to 
the  water- tanks  and  back  again. 

Presently  the  drums  and  fifes  ceased  their 
music ;  there  was  a  brief  interval  of  silence, 
while  the  streets  of  the  camp  filled  up  with  gray 
and  white  coated  figures.  Then  came  another 
rattle  of  the  drums  like  a  sharp,  quick,  impera 
tive  call. 

"Fall  in!"  ordered  the  sergeants;  and  like 
a  flash  each  company  sprang  into  two  long 
columns. 

' '  Left  face !  "  ordered  each  first  sergeant, 
while  the  second  sergeant,  answering  to  his  own 
name,  was  watching  with  eagle  eye  a  delinquent 
who  came  hurrying  on,  and  took  his  place  in  the 
ranks  too  late  by  a  full  half-second. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  63 

"  Ah,"  exclaimed  Keith,  "  that  poor  lad  will 
be  reported  as  too  late  at  reveille !  " 

Lulu  gave  him  a  look  of  surprise.  "  Dear 
me,"  she  said  to  herself,  "  if  Papa  was  that 
strict  with  his  children  what  ever  would  become 
of  me?" 

But  the  first  sergeant  was  calling  the  roll,  and 
she  listened  with  fresh  astonishment  as  he  rat 
tled  off  the  seventy  or  eighty  names  without 
so  much  as  an  instant's  pause,  using  no  list,  and 
seeming  to  recognize  each  lad  as  he  answered 
"  Here." 

It  took  scarcely  a  minute ;  then  at  a  single 
word  the  ranks  scattered,  the  lads  hurrying  away 
to  their  tents,  while  the  first  sergeant  made  a 
brief  report  to  the  captain,  who  stood  near,  then 
the  captain  to  the  officer  of  the  day. 

Our  little  party  had  now  seated  themselves 
where  a  good  view  of  the  camp  might  be  ob 
tained,  and  Max  and  Lulu  watched  with  great 
interest  what  was  going  on  there.  They  could 
see  the  lads  pull  off  their  gray  coats,  raise  their 
tent-walle  to  give  free  circulation  through  them 
to  the  sweet  morning  air,  pile  up  their  bedding, 
and  sweep  their  floors. 

Lulu  gave  her  father  an  inquiring  look,  and  he 
said,  "What  is  it,  daughter?  You  may  talk 
now,  if  you  wish." 

"  I  was  just  wondering  if  you  had  to  do  such 
work  as  that  at  Annapolis/'  she  said  in  reply. 


64  ELSIE  YACHTING 

"  I  did,"  he  responded,  with  a  smile,  "  and 
thought  you  had  heard  me  speak  of  it." 

"  Maybe  I  have,"  she  said,  with  a  tone  and 
look  as  if  trying  to  recall  something  in  the  past, 
*'  Oh,  yes,  I  do  remember  it  now  !  And  I  sup 
pose  that 's  the  reason  you  have  always  been  so 
particular  with  us  about  keeping  our  rooms  nice 
and  neat." 

"Partly,  I  believe,"  he  returned,  softly  pat 
ting  the  hand  she  had  laid  on  his  knee  ;  "  but 
my  mother  was  very  neat  and  orderly,  and  from 
my  earliest  childhood  tried  to  teach  me  to  be  the 
same." 

"  And  I  think  I  '11  find  it  easier  because  of  your 
teachings,  sir,"  remarked  Max. 

"  I  hope  so,"  the  Captain  said;  "you '11  find 
you  have  enough  to  learn,  my  boy,  without 
that." 

"  A  good  father  is  a  great  blessing,  Max,  as 
I  have  found  in  my  own  experience,"  said  Mr. 
Keith. 

But  the  roll  of  the  drums  began  again,  now 
playing  "Pease  upon  a  Trencher;"  again  the 
ranks  were  formed,  rolls  called ;  the  sergeants 
marched  their  companies  to  the  colour  line,  offi 
cers  took  their  stations ;  first  captain  ordered 
attention,  swung  the  battalion  into  column  of 
platoons  to  the  left,  ordered  "Forward,  guide 
right,  march  !  "  and  away  they  went,  to  the  stir 
ring  music  of  the  fifes  and  drums,  away  across 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  65 

the  plain  till  the  main  road  was  reached,  down 
the  shaded  lane  between  the  old  "Academic" 
and  the  chapel,  past  the  new  quarters,  and  the 
grassy  terrace  beyond.  Then  each  platoon 
wheeled  in  succession  to  the  right,  mounted  the 
broad  stone  steps,  and  disappeared  beneath  the 
portals  of  the  mess  hall. 

•  Our  party,  who  had  followed  at  so  slight  a 
distance  as  to  be  able  to  keep  the  cadets  in 
sight  to  the  door  of  entrance,  did  not  attempt 
to  look  in  upon  them  at  their  meal,  but  hur 
ried  on  to  the  hotel  to  give  attention  to  their 
own  breakfasts,  —  the  keen  morning  air  and  the 
exercise  of  walking  having  bestowed  upon  each 
one  an  excellent  appetite. 

Max  and  Lulu  were  very  eager  to  "  get  back 
in  time  to  see  everything,"  as  they  expressed  it, 
so  began  eating  in  great  haste. 

Their  father  gently  admonished  them  to  be 
more  deliberate. 

"You  must  not  forget,"  he  said,  "that  food 

must  be  thoroughly  masticated  in  order  to  digest 

properly ;   and  those  who  indulge  in  eating  at 

such   a  rapid  rate  will   be  very   likely  soon  to 

'  suffer  from  indigestion." 

"  And  we  may  as  well  take  our  time,"  added 
Mr.  Keith,  "  for  it  will  be  an  hour  or  more  be 
fore  anything  of  special  interest  will  be  going  on 
among  the  cadets." 

"  What  do  they  do  next,  sir  ?  "  asked  Max. 

5 


66  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  Morning  drill,  which  is  not  very  interesting, 
comes  next ;  then  the  tents  are  put  in  order." 

"That  must  take  a  good  while,"  remarked 
Lulu. 

"  From  three  to  five  minutes,  perhaps." 

"  Oh !  "  she  cried  in  surprise  ;  "  how  can  they 
do  it  so  quickly  ?  I  'm  sure  I  could  n't  put  my 
room  at  home  in  good  order  in  less  than  ten 
minutes." 

"  But,  then,  you  're  not  a  boy,  you  know,'* 
laughed  Max. 

"  I  'm  quite  as  smart  as  if  I  were,"  she  re 
turned  promptly.  "Isn't  that  so,  Papa?" 

"  I  have  known  some  boys  who  were  not  par 
ticularly  bright,"  he  answered,  with  an  amused 
look.  "  Perhaps  you  might  compare  quite  favour 
ably  with  them." 

"Oh,  Papa!"  she  exclaimed;  "is  that  the 
best  you  can  say  about  me?" 

"  I  can  say  that  my  daughter  seems  to  me  to 
have  as  much  brain  as  my  son,  and  of  as  good 
quality,"  he  replied  kindly,  refilling  her  plate  as 
he  spoke ;  "  and  I  very  much  doubt  his  abil 
ity  to  put  a  room  in  order  more  rapidly  than 
she  can,  and  at  the  same  time  equally  well,"  he 
concluded. 

"  Well,  it's  a  sort  of  womanish  work  anyhow, 
—  isn't  it,  Papa?"  queried  Max,  giving  Lulu 
another  laughing  look. 

"  I  don't  see  it  so,"  replied  his  father.     "  I 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  67 

would  be  sorry  to  admit,  or  to  think,  that  wo 
men  have  a  monopoly  of  the  good  qualities  of 
order  and  cleanliness." 

"I,  too,  sir,"  said  Max;  "  and  I'm  quite  re 
solved  to  do  my  father  credit  in  that  line  as  well 
as  others,  at  the  academy  and  elsewhere." 

"Are  we  going  at  once,  Papa?"  Lulu  asked 
as  they  left  the  table. 

"  No  ;  but  probably  in  ten  or  fifteen  minutes. 
Can  you  wait  so  long  as  that  ?  "  he  asked,  with  a 
humorous  smile,  and  softly  smoothing  her  hair 
as  she  stood  by  his  side. 

"  Oh,  yes,  sir!"  she  answered  brightly.     "I 
hope  I  'in  not  quite  so  impatient  as  I  used  to  be  ;" 
and  I  feel  quite  sure  you  '11  not  let  Max  or  me 
miss  anything  very  interesting  or  important." 
.   "  Not  if  I  can  well  help  it,  daughter,"  he  said. 
"  I  want  you  and  Max  to  see  and  hear  all  that  I 
think  will  be  instructive,  or  give  you  pleasure." 

A  few  moments  later  they  set  out ;  and  they 
had  just  reached  the  grove  up  by  the  guard-tents, 
and  seated  themselves  comfortably,  when  the 
drum  tapped  for  morning  parade,  and  the  cadets 
were  seen  issuing  from  their  tents,  buttoned  to 
the  throat  in  faultlessly  fitting  uniforms,  their 
collars,  cuffs,  gloves,  belts,  and  trousers  of  spot 
less  white,  their  rifles,  and  every  bit  of  metal 
about  them  gleaming  with  polish. 

"How  fine  the  fellows  do  look,  Lu!"  re< 
marked  Max,  in  an  undertone. 


68  ELSIE  YACHTING 

"  Yes,"  she  replied ;  "  they  could  n't  be  neatei 
if  they  were  girls." 

"  No,  I  should  think  not,"  he  returned,  with 
a  laugh.  "  Oh,  see !  yonder  comes  the  band. 
Now  we'll  soon  have  some  music." 

"And  there  come  some  officers,"  said  Lulu; 
and  as  she  spoke  the  sentry  on  No.  1  rattled  his 
piece,  with  a  shout  that  re-echoed  from  the  hills, 
"  Turn  out  the  guard,  Commandant  of  Cadets  !  " 
and  instantly  the  members  of  the  guard  were 
seen  hastily  to  snatch  their  rifles  from  the  racks, 
form  ranks,  and  present  arms. 

"  Oh,  Maxie,  is  n't  that  fine !  "  whispered 
Lulu,  ecstatically.  "Wouldn't  you  like  to  be 
that  officer?" 

"  I  'd  ten  times  rather  be  captain  of  a  good 
ship,"  returned  Max. 

"  I  believe  I  'd  rather  be  in  the  navy,  too,  if  I 
were  a  boy,"  she  said;  "but  I'd  like  the  army 
next  best." 

"  Yes,  so  would  I." 

But  the  drum  again  tapped  sharply,  the  cadets 
in  each  street  resolved  themselves  into  two  long 
parallel  lines,  elbow  to  elbow,  and  at  the  last 
tap  faced  suddenly  outward,  while  the  glistening 
rules  sprang  up  to  "  support  arms  ;  "  every  first 
sergeant  called  off  his  roll,  every  man  as  he  an 
swered  to  his  name  snapping  down  his  piece  to 
the  "carry"  and  "order." 

That  done,  the  sergeant  faced  his  captain,  sa- 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  69 

Ming  in  soldierly  fashion,  and  took  his  post ;  the 
captain  whipped  out  his  shining  sword ;  the  lieu 
tenants  stepped  to  their  posts. 

"  This  is  the  morning  inspection,"  Mr.  Keith 
said  in  reply  to  an  inquiring  look  from  Max  and 
Lulu. 

"Are  they  very  particular,  sir?"  queried 
Max. 

"  Very ;  should  a  speck  of  rust  be  found  on  a 
cadet's  rifle,  a  single  button  missing  from  his 
clothing,  or  unfastened,  a  spot  on  his  trousers, 
a  rip  or  tear  in  his  gloves,  or  dust  on  his  shoes, 
it  is  likely  to  be  noted  on  the  company  delin 
quency-book  to-dav,  and  published  to  the  bat 
talion  to-morrow  evening." 

"  I  wonder  if  they  're  as  strict  and  hard  on  a 
fellow  as  that  at  Annapolis,"  thought  Max  to 
himself.  "  I  mean  to  ask  Papa  about  it." 

The  inspection  was  soon  over. 

"Now,"  said  Mr.  Keith,  "there'll  be  a  mo 
ment's  breathing  spell,  then  more  music  by  the 
band  while  the  cadets  go  through  some  of  their 
exercises,  which  I  think  you  will  find  well  worth 
looking  at." 

They  did  enjoy  it  extremely,  —  the  music,  the 
manoeuvres  of  the  cadets  under  the  orders  now 
of  the  adjutant,  and  again  of  the  officer  in 
command. 

There  followed  a  half -hour  of  rest,  in  which 
Mr.  Keith  introduced  his  friend,  Captain  Ray 


70  ELSIE  YACHTING 

mond,  to  some  of  the  other  officers,  and  they  all 
had  a  little  chat  together. 

But  as  the  clock  struck  nine  the  cadets  were 
again  in  ranks. 

"  What  are  they  going  to  do  now,  Mr.  Keith?" 
asked  Lulu. 

"  This  is  the  hour  for  battery  drill,"  was  the 
reply. 

"Ah,  I'm  glad  we're  going  to  see  that!" 
said  Max.  "I'd  rather  see  it  than  anything 
else." 

"  The  cadets  are  dividing  and  going  in  differ 
ent  directions,"  said  Lulu.  "  Some  of  them  seem 
to  be  going  down  by  the  rivei ." 

"  Yes ;    some   members   of   the   senior  class. 

* 

They  are  going  to  what  is  called  the  '  sea-coast 
battery '  at  the  water's  edge,  and  presently  you 
will  hear  the  thunder  of  great  guns  coming  from 
there." 

"Oh,  can  we  go  and  look  at  them?"  asked 
Lulu,  excitedly.  "  May  we,  Papa?"  turning  to 
him. 

"  I  think  we  shall  have  a  finer  sight  up 
here,"  he  replied.  "  Am  I  not  right,  Mr. 
Keith?" 

"  Yes ;  I  think  we  would  better  remain  where 
we  are.  I  would  like  you  to  see  what  daring 
horsemen  these  youngsters  are.  See  yonder  are 
the  seniors  in  riding-dress,  with  gauntlets  and 
cavalry  sabres.  Watch  how  easily  they  mount, 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  71 

and  how  perfectly  at  home  they  are  upon  their 
steeds." 

With  intense  interest  and  no  little  excitement 
Max  and  Lulu  watched  and  listened  to  all  that 
followed,  —  the  rapid  movements  of  column,  line, 
and  battery,  the  flash  of  sabres,  the  belching  of 
flame  and  smoke,  accompanied  by  the  thundering 
roar  of  the  great  guns,  the  stirring  bugle  blasts, 
the  rearing  of  the  horses  when  brought  to  a  sud 
den  halt.  Even  the  gentlemen  showed  unmis 
takable  symptoms  of  interest  and  excitement. 

The  hour  of  battery  drill  passed  very  quickly. 
When  it  was  over  the  Captain  called  a  carriage, 
and  he,  Mr.  Keith,  Max,  and  Lulu  drove  from 
one  point  of  interest  to  another,  occupying  in 
this  way  the  time  till  the  hour  for  the  boat  from 
Albany  to  touch  at  the  point.  They  took  pas 
sage  on  it  to  New  York  City,  where  they  left  it 
to  board  a  Sound  steamer,  —  a  few  hours'  jour 
ney  in  which  would  take  them  to  that  part  of 
the  sea-coast  of  Rhode  Island  which  had  been 
selected  as  the  summer  resort  of  the  family 
connection. 


72  ELSIE   YACHTING 


CHAPTER  V. 

EARLY  the  next  morning  our  party  landed  at 
Newport,  where  they  took  a  carriage  for  their 
sea-side  home.  It  was  early  when  they  arrived, 
but  they  found  everybody  up,  and  ready  with  a 
joyful  welcome,  in  both  that  house  and  the 
next  two,  occupied  by  the  Dinsmores,  Travillas, 
and  Lelauds.  The  delight  of  all  the  Raymonds, 
from  the  Captain  down  to  the  baby  boy,  was  a 
pretty  thing  to  see. 

The  occupants  of  the  other  cottages  were  pres 
ent,  and  rejoiced  with  them ;  and  from  one  and 
all  Cousin  Donald  received  a  very  warm  wel 
come.  They  were  evidently  much  pleased  to  see 
him,  and  soon  made  him  feel  quite  at  home 
among  them. 

They  all  sat  down  to  breakfast  together,  al 
most  immediately  upon  the  arrival  of  the  travel 
lers,  and  lingered  over  the  table  in  pleasant 
chat,  talking  of  what  had  occurred  to  one  and 
another  during  the  absence  of  the  Captain,  Max, 
and  Lulu,  questioning  Cousin  Donald  in  re 
gard  to  loved  ones  more  nearly  related  to  him 
than  to  themselves,  and  laying  plans  for  his  and 
their  own  entertainment  during  his  stay  among 
them. 


WITH  TEE  RAYMONDS.  73 

"  I  hope,"  remarked  the  Captain,  "  that  some 
naval  vessel  will  come  within  reach,  so  that  we 
may  have  a  chance  to  visit  her  in  your  company, 
Donald." 

"  Thank  you  ;  I  would  greatly  enjoy  so  doing," 
Donald  answered.  "  I  suppose  a  visit  from  such 
a  vessel  is  by  no  means  rare  in  these  parts  at  this 
time  of  year." 

"  No,"  the  Captain  replied,  glancing  through  a 
window  looking  upon  the  sea,  as  he  spoke.  "  Why, 
there  is  one  in  plain  view  at  this  moment ! "  he 
cried,  starting  to  his  feet. 

They  all  hastily  left  the  table  and  gathered 
upon  a  porch  which  gave  them  a  good  view  of 
the  sea  and  the  man-of-war,  hardly  a  mile  away. 

"  My  spy-glass,  Mas.,  my  son, "  the  Captain 
said. 

"  Here,  Papa,"  answered  Max,  putting  it  into 
his  father's  hand.  "  I  knew  it  would  be  wanted." 

"Good  boy,"  returned  the  Captain.  "Ah, 
yes,"  looking  through  the  glass,  "  just  as  I 
thought.  It  is  the  '  Wanita,'  Captain  Wade,  an 
old  friend  of  mine  ;  we  were  boys  together  in  the 
Naval  Academy."  His  face  shone  with  pleasure 
as  he  spoke.  "  We  must  visit  her,"  he  added, 
passing  the  glass  to  Donald. 

Max  and  Lulu  exchanged  glances  of  delight, 
—  Papa  was  so  kind  and  indulgent  they  were 
almost  sure  he  would  take  them  along  if  he  knew 
they  wished  to  go.  ••  * 


74  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  Not  to-day,  Levis?  I  am  sure  you  must  be 
too  much  fatigued  with  your  long  journey,"  Vio 
let  said,  with  a  look  into  her  husband's  eyes  th&t 
seemed  to  add,  "  I  could  not  be  content  to  part 
from  you  for  an  hour  just  yet." 

His  answering  look  was  as  fond  as  her  own. 

"No,  dearest,"  he  said,  low  and  tenderly, 
"nor  do  I  intend  to  go  at  all  without  rny  little 
wife,  unless  she  absolutely  refuses  to  accompany 
me ;  we  will  stay  quietly  at  home  to-day,  if  you 
wish,  and  perhaps  visit  the '  "Wanita '  to-morrow." 

It  was  a  bit  of  private  chat,  the  others  being 
quite  engrossed  with  the  '  Wanita,'  taking  turns  in 
gazing  upon  her  through  the  glass. 

The  next  moment  Lulu  was  by  her  father's 
side,  asking  in  eager  beseeching  tones,  "  Papa, 
if  you  go  on  board  that  war  vessel  won't  you  take 
Max  and  me  with  you  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  highly  probable,  in  case  you  should 
both  wish  to  go,"  he  said,  smiling  at  the  look  of 
entreaty  in  her  face  and  its  sudden  change  to  one 
of  extreme  delight  as  she  heard  his  reply. 

"  Oh,  Papa,  thank  you  ever  so  much ! "  she 
cried,  fairly  dancing  with  delight.  "  There  's 
nothing  I'd  like  better;  and  I  hope  we  can 
all  go." 

"You  would  enjoy  it,  my  dear?"  asked  the 
Captain,  turning  to  his  wife. 

"I  would  enjoy  going  anywhere  with  you, 
Levis ;  and  your  company  is  particularly  desirable 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  75 

on  a  man-of-war,"  Violet  answered  with  a  happy 
laugh. 

"  ThanK  you,"  he  returned,  with  a  bow  and 
smile.  "We  must  have  them  —  Wade  and  his 
officers  —  here  too.  It  will  be  a  pleasure  to  en 
tertain  them." 

"  Oh,  Papa,  how  delightful ! "  cried  Lulu, 
clapping  her  hands. 

"  Ah,  my  child,  let  me  advise  you  not  to  be 
too  much  elated,"  laughed  her  father ;  "  they  may 
have  or  receive  orders  to  leave  this  port  for  some 
other  before  our  plan  can  be  carried  out." 

"What  plan  is  it?"  "  To  what  do  you  re 
fer,  Captain  ?  "  asked  several  voices  ;  for  nearly 
every  one  had  now  taken  a  look  at  the  man-of- 
war,  and  was  ready  to  give  attention  to  some 
thing  else. 

The  Captain  explained. 

"  Oh,  how  delightful !  "  exclaimed  Zoe.  "  Will 
it  be  a  dinner,  tea,  or  evening  party,  Captain*?  " 

"  That  question  remains  open  to  discussion, 
Sister  Zoe,"  he  returned,  with  a  twinkle  of  fun 
in  his  eye.  "What  would  you  advise?" 

"  Oh,"  she  said  laughingly,  "  I  am  not  pre 
pared  to  answer  that  question  yet." 

Then  the  others  joined  in  with  proposals  and 
suggestions,  but  nothing  was  positively  decided 
upon  just  at  that  time. 

The  day  was  spent  restf  ully  in  wandering  along 
the  shore,  sitting  on  the  beach  or  the  cottage 


76  ELSIE   YACHTING 

porches,  chatting  and  gazing  out  over  the  sea,  or 
napping,  —  most  of  the  last-named  being  done  by 
the  lately  returned  travellers. 

The  little  girls  of  the  family,  occasionally 
joined  by  Max  Raymond  and  Walter  Travilla, 
spent  much  of  the  day  together,  rather  apart 
from  their  elders,  —  Lulu  most  of  the  time 
giving  an  account  of  her  trip  out  West  and 
weeks  of  sojourn  in  the  town  of  Minersville, 
the  acquaintances  she  had  made,  and  all  that 
had  happened  during  the  stay  there,  espe 
cially  of  the  sad  occurrence  which  so  seri 
ously  marred  the  enjoyment  of  the  last  days 
of  their  visit,  Max  now  and  then  taking  part 
in  the  narrative. 

Both  had  a  great  deal  to  tell  about  West 
Point  and  Saratoga,  and  the  places  of  his 
torical  interest  in  their  vicinity.  Evidently  the 
trip  to  the  far  West  and  back  again,  with  their 
father,  had  been  one  of  keen  enjoyment  to 
both  of  them. 

So  the  day  passed  and  evening  drew  on.  The 
little  ones  were  in  bed,  the  others  all  gathered 
upon  the  porches  enjoying  the  delicious  sea- 
breeze,  and  the  view  of  the  rolling  waves,  crested 
with  foam,  and  looking  like  molten  silver  where 
the  moonbeams  fell  full  upon  them. 

Every  one  seemed  gay  and  happy,  and  there 
was  a  good  deal  of  cheerful  chat,  particularly 
on  the  porch  of  the  Raymond  cottage,  whera 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  77 

were  Grandma  Elsie,  Edward  Travilla,  Donald 
Keith,  the  Captain,  with  Violet  and  his  older 
children,  and  some  of  the  other  young  persons. 

The  sound  of  approaching  wheels  attracted 
their  attention.  A  carriage  drew  up  in  front  of 
the  house,  and  from  it  alighted  a  gentleman  in 
the  uniform  of  a  captain  in  the  navy. 

"  "Wade  !  "  exclaimed  Captain  Raymond,  hurry 
ing  out  to  meet  him.  "  My  dear  friend,  this  is 
very  kind  in  you.  I  had  hardly  hoped  to  see 
you  until  to-morrow,  and  not  then  without  hunt 
ing  you  up.  You  are  as  welcome  as  this  deli 
cious  sea-breeze." 

"Thanks,  Raymond,  that's  quite  a  compli 
ment,"  laughed  the  other,  shaking  hands  heartily  ; 
"  but  I  deserve  no  thanks,  as  I  came  quite  as 
much  for  my  own  satisfaction  as  for  yours.  I 
understand  you  have  been  here  for  some  weeks, 
but  I  only  heard  of  it  accidentally  this  morning." 

"  But  it  was  only  this  morning  I  arrived," 
Captain  Raymond  said  in  a  tone  of  amusement ; 
then,  as  they  had  stepped  into  the  midst  of  the 
group  upon  the  porch,  he  proceeded  to  introduce 
his  friend  to  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  com 
posing  it. 

There  followed  an  hour  of  lively,  pleasant 
chat,  during  which  Captain  Wade  made  acquain 
tance  with  not  only  the  grown  people,  but  the 
younger  ones  also,  seeming  to  take  a  great  deal 
of  interest  in  them,  —  Max  especially,  —  listening 


78  ELSIE   YACHTING 

with  attention  and  evident  sympathy  as  Captain 
Raymond  told  of  his  son's  prospect  of  soon  be* 
coming  a  naval  cadet. 

"  You  have  my  best  wishes,  Max,"  said  Cap 
tain  Wade.  "  I  hope  to  live  to  see  you  a  naval 
officer  as  brave,  talented,  and  as  much  beloved  as 
your  father  was,  and  still  is." 

Max's  eyes  sparkled,  and  turned  upon  his 
father  with  a  look  of  deepest  respect  and  affec 
tion  as  he  replied,  "  I  could  ask  nothing  better 
than  that,  sir,  I  am  sure." 

"And  I  could  wish  you  nothing  better  than 
that  you  may  prove  a  son  worthy  of  such  a 
father,"  returned  Captain  Wade.  "  I  have  known 
him  since  he  was  a  boy  of  your  age,  and  never 
knew  him  to  be  guilty  of  a  mean  or  dishonour 
able  act." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Max,  his  cheeks  flush 
ing,  and  his  eyes  again  seeking  his  father's  face 
with  a  look  of  reverence  and  filial  love ;  "  it  is 
very  kind  in  you  to  tell  me  that,  though  it 's  no 
news  to  me  that  I  'm  so  fortunate  as  to  be  the 
son  of  a  man  any  boy  might  be  proud  to  own 
as  his  father." 

"  Bravo,  Max !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Keith,  with  a 
pleased  laugh.  "  I  like  to  hear  a  boy  talk  in  that 
way  of  his  father,  and  certainly  you  have  a  good 
right  to  do  so." 

"  No  boy  ever  had  a  better  right  than  Max  has 
to  speak  well  of  his  father,"  remarked  Violet, 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  79 

lightly,  but  with  an  earnest  undertone  in  her 
sweet  voice,  "  and  no  one  is  more  capable  of 
judging  of  that  than  I,  who  have  lived  with  them 
both  for  years." 

"And  no  one  could  speak  too  well  of  Papa," 
said  Lulu,  with  impulsive  warmth,  "  for  there 
could  n't  be  a  better  man  than  he  is." 

"  I  should  be  sorry  to  believe  that,  little  daugh 
ter,"  he  said,  putting  an  arm  round  her  as  she 
stood  close  at  his  side.  Then  he  changed  the 
subject  of  conversation. 

A  few  minutes  later  Captain  Wade  took  leave, 
giving  all  a  cordial  invitation  to  return  his  call 
by  a  visit  to  the  "  Wanita.." 

"We  had  talked  of  giving  you  a  call  to 
morrow,"  said  Captain  Raymond,  "  but  that 
would  be  a  very  prompt  return  of  your  visit." 

"  None  too  prompt,"  returned  Wade.  "  Our 
time  here  together,  Raymond,  is  likely  to  be 
all  too  short,  and  we  would  better  make  the 
most  of  it." 

"  So  I  think,"  returned  the  person  addressed ; 
"  and  I  hope  we  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
you  here  frequently." 

"  I  think  he  '&  just  as  nice  as  he  can  be,"  re 
marked  Rosie  Travilla,  as  the  carriage  drove 
away  with  Captain  Wade,  "and  I  hope  he'll 
visit  us  again  soon." 

"  So  do  I,"  said  Lulu,  "  I  believe  naval  officers 
are  the  very  nicest  gentlemen  in  the  world." 


80  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  That 's  rather  strong,  is  n't  it?  "  laughed  her 
father ;  "  and  as  you  have  made  the  acquaintance 
of  only  two  or  three  in  the  course  of  your  life, 
I  fear  you  are  hardly  a  competent  judge." 

"  And  what  of  army  officers,  my  little  lady?" 
asked  Donald  Keith,  with  a  good-humoured  laugh. 
"Have  you  nothing  to  say  for  them?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  sir !  "  she  said.  "  I  forgot  them  at 
the  moment,  and  I  do  really  think  they  are  almost 
equal  to  the  naval  ones." 

"Almost!"  he  repeated.  "Well,  even  that 
is  saying  a  good  deal  for  us  if  your  father  is  a 
fair  sample  of  those  belonging  to  the  navy." 

But  it  was  growing  late,  and  the  little  party 
soon  separated  for  the  night. 

Lulu  was  nearly  ready  for  bed  when  her  father 
came  to  her  room  to  bid  her  good-night  in  the  old 
way  she  liked  so  much.  He  took  her  in  his  arms 
with  a  fond  caress,  asking,  "  Does  it  seem  pleas 
ant  to  be  at  home  —  or  with  the  home  folks  — 
again  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,  Papa,"  she  answered,  putting 
an  arm  about  his  neck  and  laying  her  cheek 
to  his,  "but  you  are  always  a  great  deal  more 
than  half  of  home  to  me.  Oh,  I  do  love  you  so 
dearly !  " 

"And  I  you,  my  own  darling,"  her  father 
replied,  caressing  her  again  and  again. 

"  I  'd  rather  have  you  to  love  me,  Papa,  than 
have  all  the  money  in  the  world  without  you,  or 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  81 

with  a  father  that  did  n't  care  much  about  me,1' 
she  continued. 

"Dear  child,"  he  said  in  tender  tones,  "I 
value  you,  and  each  one  of  my  children,  more 
than  words  can  express.  Now  I  must  bid  you 
good-night,  for  you  need  all  the  sleep  you  can 
get  between  this  and  sunrise." 

"  Oh  !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  I  do  hope  to-morrow 
will  be  clear,  so  we  can  go  to  see  the  '  Wanita ; ' 
or  at  least  that  it  won't  rain.  Perhaps  it  would 
be  all  the  pleasanter  for  a  few  clouds  to  keep  the 
sun  from  being  so  hot  on  us." 

"  No  doubt,"  he  replied ;  "  but  we  must  take 
the  weather  our  heavenly  Father  sends,  and  be 
content  and  thankful." 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  '11  try  to  do  so  ;  but  I  do  hope  it 
will  be  such  that  we  can  go." 

"  I  hope  it  will,  daughter ;  but  if  you  should 
have  to  give  up  the  trip  for  the  time,  I  hope  and 
expect  to  see  you  do  so  pleasantly,  —  which  you 
well  may,  considering  that  we  are  very  likely  to 
have  other  opportunities." 

"  Well,  if  anything  should  happen  to  keep 
me  at  home,  and  I  'm  cross  or  sulky  about  it,  I 
just  hope  you  '11  punish  me  well  for  my  naughti 
ness,"  she  said  so  earnestly  that  he  could  scarcely 
refrain  from  smiling. 

"I'm  sure  that  in  that  case  I  should  punish 
myself  quite  as  much  as  you,"  he  said,  giving 
her  another  hug.     "My  dear  child,  if  you  care 
6 


82  ELSIE   YACHTING 

at  all  for  Papa's  happiness,  —  as  I  am  sure  you 
do,  —  try  to  be  so  good  that  he  will  never  have 
the  pain  of  inflicting  any  kind  of  punishment 
ipon  you," 

Then  he  bade  her  good-night,  and  left  her  to 
aer  rest. 

Lulu's  head  was  scarcely  on  the  pillow  before 
she  was  fast  asleep.  When  she  woke,  it  was  al 
ready  broad  daylight.  She  sprang  up  and  ran  to 
the  window  to  take  an  observation  of  the  weather. 

"  Cloudy,  but  no4,  raining,"  she  said,  half- 
aloud.  "  Just  as  I  "d  like  to  have  it,  if  only  it 
will  keep  so,  and  not  turn  to  actual  rain." 

With  that  she  began  making  a  rapid  toilet, 
thinking  she  would  like  to  take  a  little  run  on 
the  beach  before  the  summons  to  breakfast ; 
but  when  she  reached  the  porch  below,  the  rain 
was  falling  pretty  fast. 

"Oh,  dear!"  she  sighed,  "why  couldn't  it 
keep  off  for  a  few  hours  longer  ?  " 

"What,  daughter,  —  the  rain?"  asked  her 
father's  voice  close  at  her  side,  while  his  hand 
was  laid  caressingly  upon  her  head. 

"  Oh,  good-morning,  Papa  !  "  she  returned, 
lifting  to  his  a  sorely  disappointed  face.  "  I 
did  n't  know  you  were  here.  Yes,  sir,  it  is  the 
rain  I  'm  mourning  over,  —  I  do  so  want  to  visit 
that  man-of-war  to-day ;  it 's  really  a  great  dis 
appointment  ! " 

"I'm  sorry  you  should  feel  it  so!"  he  re- 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  83 

turned  in  a  sympathizing  tone ;  "but  we  won't 
despair  yet.  I  think  this  is  but  a  passing  shower, 
which  will  make  the  trip  all  the  more  enjoyable 
by  cooling  the  air  nicely  for  us.  However,  should 
it  prove  too  inclement  for  our  contemplated  little 
jaunt,  we  must  try  to  remember  that  our  kind 
and  loving  heavenly  Father  orders  all  these 
things,  and  to  be  patient  and  content,  —  more 
than  content,  thankful  for  whatever  He  sends  !  " 

"I'll  try  to  be  content  and  thankful,  Papa; 
I  certainly  ought,  when  I  have  so  many,  many 
blessings,  and  don't  really  deserve  any  of  them," 
she  answered,  putting  her  hand  into  his,  and  let 
ting  him  lead  her  back  and  forth  along  the  porch, 
which  they  had  to  themselves  for  the  time. 

"  No  ;  that  is  true  of  each  one  of  us,"  he  said. 
"  Did  you  sleep  well?  " 

"  Just  as  well  as  possible,  Papa,"  she  an 
swered,  smiling  up  into  his  face.  "I  didn't 
know  anything  from  the  time  my  head  touched 
the  pillow  till  I  woke  to  find  it  broad  day 
light." 

"  That  is  something  to  be  very  thankful  for, 
daughter,  as  you  will  discover  should  sickness 
and  pain  ever  give  you  long  hours  of  wakeful- 
ness,  such  as  fall  to  the  lot  of  many  a  poor 
sufferer." 

"  I  hope  that  time  will  never  come  to  either  of 
us,  Papa,"  she  said;  "  but  I'd  rather  it  would 
come  to  me  than  to  you.  Oh,  it  was  so  hard  to 


84  ELSIE   YACHTING 

see  you  suffer  that  time  you  were  sick  here,  and 
that  other  tune,  when  Thunderer  threw  you  !  " 

"  Ah,  I  shall  never  forget  how  tenderly  affec 
tionate  and  helpful  my  children  were  to  me  then," 
he  said,  with  a  look  and  smile  that  made  her  heart 
bound. 

Now  others  of  the  family  began  to  join  them. 
Mr.  Keith  came  out  upon  the  porch  too,  and 
after  exchanging  a  good-morning  with  those 
who  had  preceded  him,  remarked  that  it  seemed 
doubtful  if  they  would  be  able  to  take  their  pro 
posed  trip  to  visit  Captain  Wade  and  his  man- 
of-war.  But  by  the  time  breakfast  and  family 
worship  were  over,  the  clouds  began  to  scatter ; 
and  in  another  hour  the  carriages  were  at  the 
door  ready  to  convey  them  to  the  wharf,  whence 
a  boat  would  take  them  to  the  "  Wanita." 

Every  one  did  not  care  to  go  that  day ;  the 
party  consisted  of  Grandma  Elsie,  Edward,  Zoe, 
Rosie  Travilla,  Evelyn  Leland,  Mr.  Keith,  and 
the  Raymonds,  not  including  the  very  little 
ones,  who  were  left  at  home  in  the  care  of  their 
nurse. 

It  was  pronounced  by  all  a  most  enjoyable  lit 
tle  excursion.  The  weather  proved  favourable, 
clouds  obscuring  the  sun,  but  no  rain  falling ; 
the  officers  of  the  "Wanita"  were  very  polite 
and  attentive,  taking  them  about  the  vessel,  and 
showing  them  everything  likely  to  interest  ladies 
and  children. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  85 

•». 

They,  particularly  Grandma  Elsie  and  Violet, 
were  charmed  with  the  perfect  neatness  every 
where  noticeable ;  the  decks,  the  store-rooms, 
the  magazine  and  shell  rooms,  the  passages,  the 
engine  and  fire  rooms  (into  which  they  took  a 
peep) ,  —  indeed,  all  parts  of  the  vessel  shown 
them,  —  were  most  beautifully  neat  and  clean. 

The  battery,  which  contained  some  new  guns, 
seemed  to  interest  Captain  Raymond  and  Mr. 
Keith  more  than  anything  else,  while  the  ladies 
and  little  girls  greatly  admired  their  brilliant 
polish. 

When  they  returned  to  the  shore  there  was  still 
time  for  a  delightful  drive  before  dinner,  which 
they  took,  —  the  best  hour  for  bathing  coming  in 
the  afternoon. 

Captain  Wade  and  his  officers  took  dinner  and 
tea  with  them  the  next  day  by  invitation.  A 
great  interest  in  the  navy  had  been  aroused  in 
the  breasts  of  the  young  people,  and  they 
watched  the  officers  furtively,  and  listened  with 
attention  to  all  they  said  that  had  any  bearing 
upon  that  subject. 

Max  was  more  and  more  in  love  with  the  pros 
pect  before  him,  and  quite  resolved  to  make  the 
very  best  of  his  opportunities  should  he  be  so 
fortunate  as  to  gain  admission  to  the  Naval 
Academy. 

His  father  had  told  him  he  might  have  this 
week  entirely  for  recreation,  but  on  the  coming 


86  ELSIE   YACHTING 

Monday  must  begin  to  review  his  studies  pre 
paratory  to  the  examination  he  would  be  called 
upon  to  pass  through  at  Annapolis. 

"  I  'm  very  willing,  Papa,"  he  replied.  "  I  Ve 
had  a  long  and  delightful  vacation  already  out 
West  with  you  ;  and  as  I  'm  very  anxious  to  pass 
as  good  an  examination  as  possible,  I  want  to 
study  hard  to  get  ready  for  it.  And  I  think  it 's 
ever  so  kind  in  you  to  help  me  by  hearing  my 
lessons." 

"Well,  my  boy,"  the  Captain  said,  with  a 
pleased  look,  "  make  the  most  of  your  holidays 
while  they  last,  though  I  do  not  mean  that  it 
shall  be  all  work  and  no  play  even  after  this 
week  ;  a  couple  of  hours  given  to  study  each  day 
will  probably  be  all-sufficient." 

"  And  may  I  get  up  early  and  take  them  be 
fore  breakfast  when  I  choose,  sir?"  Max  asked 
in  an  eager  tone,  that  told  how  delightful  he 
would  esteem  it  to  be  ready  to  join  in  the  pas 
times  of  the  rest  of  their  party,  —  driving,  boat 
ing,  fishing,  bathing,  and  strolling  along  the  beach 
and  through  the  woods. 

"  Yes,  my  son,  if  you  can  manage  to  get 
enough  sleep  in  season  for  that,"  the  Captain 
replied  in  an  indulgent  tone. 

"  I  think  I  can,  sir,"  said  the  boy.  «« I  '11  take 
an  afternoon  siesta  if  I  don't  get  enough  sleep 
without." 

"  That  will  do,"  said  his  father.     "  Remember 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  87 

health  and  study  must  be  well  attended  to,  and 
the  more  fun  and  frolic  you  can  manage  to  get 
besides,  the  better  I  shall  be  pleased." 

Bent  on  carrying  out  his  plan,  Max  went  early 
to  bed  Sunday  night,  and  was  up  at  his  books 
working  hard  for  a  couple  of  hours  before  break 
fast.  It  still  wanted  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  of 
that  time  when  he  went  down  to  the  porch  with 
his  book  in  his  hand. 

His  father  was  alone  there,  looking  over  the 
morning  paper. 

"  Good-morning,  Papa,"  Max  said.  "  I  am 
ready  to  recite  whenever  you  want  to  hear  me." 

"Ah!  are  you,  indeed?"  the  Captain  said, 
taking  the  book  ;  "  then  I  shall  hear  this  lesson 
at  once." 

Max  recited  very  creditably.  His  father  com 
mended  him  kindly,  then  said,  "  I  am  going  in  to 
the  city  directly  after  we  have  had  breakfast  and 
family  worship,  and  shall  take  you  with  me  if  you 
would  like  to  go." 

i  "  Thank  you,  sir;  indeed  I  would !  "  returned 
Max,  his  eyes  shining,  for  he  esteemed  it  one  of 
his  greatest  pleasures  and  privileges  to  be  per 
mitted  to  go  anywhere  with  his  father. 

"  Yes,  I  think  you  will  enjoy  it,"  the  Captain 
said,  smiling  to  see  how  pleased  the  boy  was  ;  "  I 
have  an  errand  which  I  shall  tell  to  no  one  but 
Cousin  Donald  and  you.  See  here,"  pointing  to  an 
advertisement  in  the  paper  he  had  been  reading. 


88  '    ELSIE   YACHTING 

"A  yacht  for  sale!"  exclaimed  Max;  "Oh, 
Papa,  are  you  going  to  buy  it?" 

"  That  is  a  question  I  am  not  prepared  to 
answer  till  I  have  seen  it,  my  boy,"  replied  his 
father.  "  I  shall  take  you  and  Cousin  Donald, 
if  he  will  go,  to  look  at  it  and  help  me  to  decide 
whether  to  buy  it  or  not."  j 

Mr.  Keith  joined  them  at  that  moment,  and' 
was  greeted  with  a  pleasant  good-morning  and 
shown  the  advertisement,  the  Captain  telling  him 
that  if  the  yacht  proved  such  as  he  would  like 
to  own,  he  meant  to  buy  it,  and  if  the  plan  was 
agreeable  to  his  wife,  to  spend  the  rest  of  the 
summer  on  board,  taking  his  family  and  friends 
with  him,  making  short  voyages  along  the  coast 
and  perhaps  some  distance  out  to  sea. 

"  Taking  the  opportunity  to  give  my  son  some 
lessons  in  navigation,"  he  added,  with  a  smiling 
glance  at  Max. 

"  Papa !  I  could  n't  ask  anything  better !  "  ex 
claimed  Max,  hardly  able  to  contain  his  delight 

"I'm  glad  to  hear  it,  my  boy,"  his  father 
said.  "  But  now  remember  that  our  errand  is 
a  secret  between  us  three  until  we  return  from 
the  city." 

"Then  you'll  tell  Mamma  Vi  and  the  rest, 
sir  ?  "  asked  Max. 

"  If  I  have  made  the  purchase,  yes." 

The  call  to  breakfast  came  at  that  moment  and 
was  promptly  obeyed. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  89 

Max  could  hardly  eat,  so  excited  was  he  over 
the  prospect  of  going  to  the  city  with  his  father 
on  so  delightful  an  errand,  but  he  said  not  a 
word  on  the  subject. 

The  coachman  had  been  given  his  order  in  good 
season,  and  by  the  time  family  prayers  were  over ' 
the  carriage  and  horses  were  at  the  gate. 

"  My  dear,"  Captain  Raymond  said  to  Violet, 
"  a  business  matter  calls  me  to  the  city,  but  I 
hope  to  return  in  season  to  take  my  wife  in 
bathing,  or  out  driving,  or  wherever  she  may 
wish  to  go." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  she  said,  smiling  up  into 
his  eyes  ;  "  I  '11  try  to  be  ready  for  either  by  the 
time  you  return.  But  is  not  this  a  sudden  move  ? 
I  had  heard  nothing  of  it  before." 

"Yes,  my  dear;  but  as  I  am  in  some  haste, 
I  must  defer  my  explanation  until  I  get  home 
again." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  ask  for  an  explanation,"  she  re 
turned  laughingly,  as  he  gave  her  a  hasty  good- 
by  kiss ;  "  you  have  always  been  so  good  since 
my  first  acquaintance  with  you,  that  I  am  quite 
sure  you  may  be  trusted." 

"  Ah !  I  'm  much  obliged  for  your  good  opin 
ion,"  he  answered,  with  a  twinkle  of  fun  in  his 
eye,  as  he  hastily  kissed  the  children,  then  hur 
ried  with  Donald  and  Max  to  the  carriage. 


90  ELSIE   YACHTING 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  "Dolphin"  proved  a  trim  little  craft, 
beautifully  finished  and  furnished,  a  schooner- 
rigged  sailing-yacht,  gracefully  modelled  and 
nearly  new;  but  her  former  owner  had  died, 
and  the  yacht  was  to  be  sold  as  a  necessary 
measure  for  the  settling  of  the  estate. 

Max  went  into  raptures  over  her ;  and  the  Cap 
tain  was  evidently  pleased,  though  he  said  very 
little  as  he  went  about  examining  every  part  of 
her  with  keen  scrutiny. 

"Isn't  she  all  right,  Papa?"  Max  at  length 
ventured  to  ask. 

"  I  think  she  is,  my  son,"  was  the  prompt, 
pleasant-toned  reply.  "  What  is  your  opinion, 
Keith?" 

"  It  exactly  coincides  with  yours,  Raymond ; 
and  if  I  wanted,  and  could  afford  so  expensive  a 
luxury,  I  think  I  should  n't  hesitate  to  make  an 
offer  for  her." 

"  We  seem  to  be  quite  agreed  in  our  estimate 
of  her,"  said  Captain  Raymond ;  "  and  I  shall 
take  your  advice." 

"You  are  quite  sure  of  her  speed?"  queried 
Keith. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  91 

"  Yes ;  I  have  seen  accounts  of  her  in  the 
papers,  showing  that  she  is  a  fine  sailer,  as  I 
should  feel  confident  she  would  be,  judging 
merely  from  her  appearance.  She  is  a  beauti 
fully  modelled,  well-built  little  craft" 

"  Looks  rather  small  to  you  after  the  naval 
vessels  you  were  wont  to  command  ?  "  queried 
Donald  Keith,  with  a  good-humoured  laugh. 

"  Yes ;  but  quite  captivating  to  a  lover  of 
the  sea,  nevertheless,  and  as  I  see  she  is  such 
to  Max,  and  have  no  doubt  that  she  will  be  to 
the  rest  of  my  family,  I  am  about  decided  to 
make  the  purchase." 

Max  drew  a  long  breath,  while  his  eyes  spar 
kled  with  pleasure. 

They  at  once  sought  the  agent  whose  business 
it  was  to  attend  to  the  sale  of  the  vessel.  It  did 
not  take  long  for  him  and  the  Captain  to  come 
to  an  agreement;  and  the  "Dolphin"  quickly 
changed  owners. 

Max  was  enraptured,  his  cheeks  glowing,  his 
eyes  fairly  dancing  with  delight.  He  managed, 
with  some  difficulty,  to  keep  quiet  till  they  were 
in  the  carriage  again  on  the  way  home,  then 
burst  out,  "Papa,  I  think  it's  just  splendid 
that  you  're  the  owner  of  such  a  beautiful  vessel ! 
And  I  hope  to  learn  a  great  deal  about  the  proper 
management  of  one  while  we  're  sailing  round 
in  her." 

"  I  shall  try  to  teach  you  all  I  can,  my  boy,** 


92  ELSIE   YACHTING 

was  his  father's  smiling  reply  ;  "and  your  pleas, 
ure  in  the  purchase  doubles  my  own." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Max.  "  I  intend  to 
pay  good  heed  to  your  instructions,  and  learn  as 
much  as  possible,  so  that  I  may  pass  a  good  ex 
amination  at  Annapolis,  and  do  my  father  credit." 

"  But,  Max,  you  might  do  him  as  much  credit 
in  the  army  as  in  the  navy ;  and  how  you  could 
resist  the  fascinations  of  West  Point,  I  don't 
see,"  remarked  Donald  Keith,  with  a  twinkle  of 
fun  in  his  eye. 

"  Well,  sir,  I  suppose  it 's  because  I  am  the 
son  of  a  seaman ;  love  for  the  sea  runs  in  the 
blood, — isn't  that  so,  Papa?" 

"  Altogether  likely,"  laughed  the  Captain.  "  I 
have  been  supposed  to  inherit  it  from  my  father, 
and  he  from  his." 

Violet,  and  the  other  members  of  the  family, 
with  some  of  the  relatives  from  the  adjacent  cot 
tages,  were  all  on  the  porch  as  the  carriage  drew 
up  in  front  of  the  house,  and  its  occupants 
alighted. 

"Papa!  Papa!"  shouted  little  Elsie  and  the 
baby  boy,  running  to  meet  him. 

"Papa's  darlings!"  the  Captain  said,  stoop 
ing  to  caress  and  fondle  them  ;  then,  taking  them 
in  his  arms,  he  followed  Donald  up  the  porch- 
steps,  Max  close  in  his  rear. 

"Take  a  seat,  Cousin  Donald,"  said  Violet. 
"  We  are  glad  to  see  you  all  back  again.  I  have 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  93 

been  wondering,  my  dear,  what  important  busi 
ness  you  had  to  keep  you  so  long  away  from  me 
and  your  children." 

"  It  was  rather  important,"  returned  the  Cap 
tain,  pleasantly.  "  Max,"  with  an  indulgent 
smile  into  the  lad's  eager  face,  "you  may  have 
the  pleasure  of  telling  where  we  have  been  and 
what  we  have  done." 

"Oh,  thank  you,  sir!"  cried  Max,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  avail  himself  of  the  permission,  going 
into  an  enthusiastic  description  of  the  beautiful 
"Dolphin,"  and  winding  up  with  the  news  that 
Papa  had  bought  her,  and  expected  to  take  their 
whole  party  —  or,  at  least,  as  many  of  them  as 
would  like  to  go  —  coasting  along  the  shores  of 
all  the  Atlantic  States  of  New  England,  and  for 
some  distance  out  to  sea. 

Lulu  was  dancing  with  delight,  hugging  and 
kissing  her  father  in  a  transport  of  joy,  before 
Max's  story  came  to  an  end. 

"  Oh,  Papa,  how  good,  — how  good  and  kind 
you  are  !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  I  don't  think  any 
thing  could  be  pleasanter  than  such  a  trip  as 
that.  It'll  be  the  greatest  fun  that  ever  was. 
And  you  '11  command  the  vessel  yourself,  won't 
you  ?  I  do  hope  so ;  for  I  am  sure  nobody  else 
could  do  it  half  so  well." 

"  What  a  flatterer  my  eldest  daughter  can 
show  herself  to  be ! "  he  said,  with  a  good- 
humoured  laugh.  "Yes,  I  do  expect  to  take 


94  ELSIE   YACHTING 

command  of  the  dainty  little  craft,  —  a  small 
affair,  indeed,  compared  with  a  man-of-war. 
My  dear,"  turning  to  Violet,  "  we  hate  yet  to 
hear  from  you  on  this  subject.  I  hope  you 
approve  of  your  husband's  purchase." 

"  Entirely,  Levis.  In  fact,  I  am  quite  as  much 
delighted  as  Lulu  seems  to  be,"  «he  answered, 
smiling  up  into  his  face.  "  What  could  be  more 
enjoyable  than  sailing  about  in  such  a  vessel, 
with  a  retired  naval  officer  in  command?  When 
am  I  to  see  your  '  Dolphin '  ?  " 

"Yours  quite  as  much  as  mine,  my  dear," 
he  replied.  "You  have  only  to  say  the  word 
at  any  time,  and  I  will  take  you  over  to  look 
at  her." 

"  Oh,  will  you?"  she  exclaimed.  "  Then  sup 
pose  we  all  go  over  this  afternoon,  and  see  what 
she  is  like." 

"  Agreed ! "  the  Captain  said  ;  then  glancing 
round  at  the  eager  faces,  "  How  many  of  you 
would  like  to  go  with  us?"  he  asked. 

He  was  answered  by  a  prompt  and  unanimous 
acceptance  of  his  invitation.  They  all  wanted  to 
see  that  beautiful  "  Dolphin  ;  "  and  after  a  little 
discussion  of  the  matter,  it  was  decided  that  they 
would  give  up  the  bath  for  that  day,  and  start 
for  Newport  harbour  immediately  upon  leaving 
the  dinner-table. 

They  made  a  very  jovial  party,  and  were  de 
lighted  with  the  vessel  and  the  prospect  of  sail- 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  95 

ing  in  her  under  the  command  of  one  so  kind  and 
competent  as  her  new  owner. 

For  the  next  few  days  Captain  Raymond  was 
busy  with  his  preparations  for  the  voyage,  — 
engaging  a  crew  and  getting  everything  on 
board  that  would  add  to  the  comfort  and  enjoy 
ment  of  his  family  and  guests ;  the  ladies  also 
were  occupied  with  theirs,  which  were  not  suffi 
ciently  great  to  interfere  with  the  usual  plea 
sures  of  a  sojourn  by  the  sea-side ;  then  one 
bright  morning  saw  them  all  on  board,  —  a 
merry,  happy  party. 

"  Where  are  we  going  first,  Papa?  "  asked  Lulu, 
when  they  were  fairly  under  way. 

"  On  a  little  trial  trip  along  the  coast,"  he 
answered. 

"  And  then  coming  back  to  Newport?"  ques 
tioned  Gracie. 

"  Possibly,"  he  said,  with  a  smile  into  the 
bright,  eager  face, 

"  I  think  I  know,  though  I  'm  not  right  sure," 
Max  said,  looking  at  his  father  with  a  rather 
mischievous  twinkle  in  his  eyes,  "  what  Papa  is 
thinking  about." 

"  Do  you,  indeed  ? "  laughed  Ms  father. 
"Well,  what  is  it?" 

"  Well,  sir,  I  overheard  Captain  Wade  telling 
you  he  expected  the  rest  of  the  squadron  would 
be  in  soon,  —in  a  day  or  two,  I  think  he  said,  — 
and  I  have  a  notion  it  would  be  a  fine  sight  for 


96  ELSIE   YACHTING 

us  all,  and  that  my  father  kindly  means  to  give 
it  to  us." 

"  Ah,  indeed !  you  seem  to  have  a  great  deal 
of  confidence  in  your  father's  desire  to  giva 
pleasure  to  you  all,"  laughed  the  Captain. 
"  Well,  my  boy,  events  may  perhaps  show 
whether  you  are  right." 

The  three  had  followed  their  father  to  a  por 
tion  of  the  deck  at  some  little  distance  from  the 
rest  of  the  party,  so  that  their  talk  was  not  over 
heard  by  them. 

"A  squadron?"  repeated  Grace.  "What  is 
that?  Oh,  it 's  a  good  many  ships  belonging  to 
gether,  —  is  n't  it,  Papa  ?  " 

"  That  will  answer  very  well  for  a  definition, 
or  description,"  he  replied. 

"Oh,  how  glad  I  am!"  exclaimed  Lulu, 
clapping  her  hands  in  delight.  "And  will  they 
go  through  all  their  manoeuvres,  Papa  ?  " 

"As  I  am  not  the  admiral  whose  orders  are 
to  be  obeyed,  I  cannot  say  exactly  what  will 
be  done,  my  child,"  the  Captain  replied.  "  I 
can  only  say  I  intend  to  have  you  in  the  vicinity 
in  season  to  see  all  that  may  be  done.  Does  that 
satisfy  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  sir !  and  I  thank  you  very,  very 
much ! "  she  said,  taking  his  hand  in  both  of  hers 
and  squeezing  it  affectionately. 

"  I  too,  Papa,"  said  Grace.  "  I 'm  sure  we'll 
enjoy  it  ever  so  much." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  97 

"  I  hope  so,"  he  answered.  "  And  now  can 
you  three  keep  the  secret  from  the  others,  that 
they  may  have  a  pleasant  surprise?" 

"  If  we  can't,  or  don't,  I  think  we  ought  never 
to  be  told  a  secret  again,"  exclaimed  Lulu,  in  her 
vehement  way. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  not  be  intrusted  with  one 
very  soon  again,"  her  father  said;  "but,"  he 
added,  with  a  look  from  one  to  the  other  of  min 
gled  pride  and  affection,  "  I  feel  quite  safe  in 
trusting  a  secret  to  the  keeping  of  the  eldest 
three  of  my  children.  I  am  quite  sure  no  one 
of  you  would  tell  anything  you  knew  your  father 
wished  kept  secret." 

"  No,  indeed,  Papa !  "  said  Max.  "  "We  would 
certainly  deserve  to  be  severely  punished,  and 
never  trusted  by  you  again,  if  we  should  ever  so 
abuse  your  confidence." 

"  Just  what  I  think,"  said  Lulu. 

"  I  too,"  added  Grace.  "  And,  Papa,  it's  so 
nice  and  kind  in  you  to  trust  us  !  "  looking  up  into 
his  face  with  a  loving  smile  as  she  spoke. 

"Is  it?"  he  asked,  smoothing  her  hair  with 
fond,  caressing  hand.  "  Well,  my  pet,  it  is  a 
very  great  pleasure  to  me  to  be  able  to  do  so." 

At  that  moment  they  were  joined  by  Mr.  Keith. 
The  two  gentlemen  entered  into  conversation  ; 
the  two  little  girls  ran  down  into  the  cabin  to  see 
that  the  maid  was  making  such  disposition  of 
their  effects  as  they  desired ;  while  Max,  joined 
7 


98  ELSIE  YACHTING 

by  Walter  Travilla,  made  the  tour  of  the  vessel 
for  perhaps  the  fiftieth  time,  —  for  ever  since  the 
purchase,  he  had  spent  at  least  half  of  every 
week-day  there,  learning  from  his  father  and  oth 
ers  all  he  could  of  her  different  parts  and  of  her 
management. 

Walter,  too,  had  been  there  again  and  again, 
spending  hours  at  a  time  in  climbing  about  with 
Max,  who  took  much  pleasure  in  handing  over  to 
him  the  lessons  just  learned  by  himself. 

The  rest  of  the  party  were  seated  on  deck 
enjoying  the  breeze  and  the  beauties  of  sea  and 
land,  —  for  the  latter  was  not  yet  out  of  sight, 
though  fast  receding. 

The  weather  was  lovely,  every  one  in  the  best 
of  spirits,  the  younger  ones  full  of  fun  and 
frolic,  and  the  day  passed  most  enjoyably  to  all. 
The  evening  was  enlivened  by  music  from  a 
very  sweet-toned  piano  in  the  cabin,  by  sing 
ing,  conversation,  promenading  the  deck,  and 
gazing  out  over  the- water,  watching  the  rise 
and  fall  of  the  waves,  and  the  passing  of  ships 
and  steamers. 

But  the  day  had  been  an  exciting  one,  espe 
cially  to  the  children,  and  they  were  willing 
enough  to  retire  at  an  early  hour.  They  gath 
ered  on  deck,  each  repeated  a  verse  of  Scripture, 
after  which  they  united  in  singing  a  hymn,  and 
Mr.  Dinsmore  led  in  prayer.  Then  the  good- 
nights  were  said,  and  all  the  young  people,  with 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  99 

some  of  the  older  ones,  retired  to  their  pretty, 
cosey  state-rooms  and  their  berths. 

Great  was  the  surprise  of  nearly  everybody 
when,  coming  on  deck  the  next  morning,  they  dis 
covered  that  they  were  again  in  Narragansett  Bay. 
There  were  many  exclamations  and  questions, 
"  How  did  it  happen? "  "  Whose  mistake  was  it 
that  instead  of  being  away  out  at  sea,  we  are 
back  at  our  starting-point  again?"  These  and 
other  like  queries  were  propounded  to  the  owner 
and  commander  of  the  yacht. 

He  pointed,  with  a  good-humoured  smile,  to  a 
number  of  war-vessels  lying  quietly  at  anchor  at 
no  very  great  distance. 

"  The  squadron  is  in,  you  see  ;  and  I  thought 
my  passengers  would  not  like  to  miss  the  sight 
of  its  evolutions,  so  brought  them  back  to  view 
them.  There  will  be  time  afterward  for  a  pleas 
ant  little  voyage  along  the  coast,  or  where  you 
will." 

The  explanation  was  entirely  satisfactory  to 
every  one,  and  there  was  great  rejoicing  among 
the  lads  and  lasses. 

"What  is  it  they're  going  to  do,  Papa?" 
asked  Gracie. 

"  I  have  not  been  let  into  that  secret,  daugh 
ter,"  he  answered ;  "  but  we  may  find  out  after 
awhile  by  keeping  a  close  watch  upon  their 
movements." 

"  Oh,  Papa,  you  can  read  their  signals,  and 


100  ELSIE   YACHTING 

tell  us  what 's  coming,  can't  you?  "Won't  you?  " 
exclaimed  Lulu. 

"  Yes,  my  child,  I  can  and  will,"  he  replied. 
"  But  there  is  the  call  to  breakfast,  and  you 
need  n't  hurry  through  your  meal ;  for  they  are 
not  likely,  for  some  hours  yet,  to  begin  anything 
you  would  want  to  see." 

Encouraged  by  that  assurance,  no  one  cared 
to  make  undue  haste  in  eating  all  that  appetite 
called  for  of  the  excellent  breakfast  presently 
set  before  them.  But  an  hour  later  found  them 
all  on  deck,  young  and  old  keeping  a  sharp 
watch  on  every  movement  of  the  vessels  com 
posing  the  squadron,  several  spy-glasses  being 
constantly  turned  in  their  direction. 

"Ah !  "  exclaimed  the  Captain,  at  length,  while 
at  the  same  instant  Max  asked  eagerly,  "  Papa, 
what  is  it  they  are  doing  there  on  the  '  Wanita '  ?  " 

"  Getting  ready  for  inspection  by  the  Admiral," 
was  the  reply.  "  See,  the  men  have  donned  their 
uniforms  and  are  taking  their  places  on  the  deck. 
And  yonder  — do  you  see?  —  the  Admiral  and 
his  staff  are  pushing  off  from  the  flag-ship." 

The  boatswain's  whistle  and  the  roll  of  a  drum 
were  now  heard  coming  from  the  "  Wanita." 

"  Oh,  and  is  that  the  executive  officer  on  the 
bridge  of  the  'Wanita/  Papa?"  asked  Max,  ex 
citedly.  "  And  what  is  he  doing  ?  " 

"  Giving  an  order  tp  the  gunner,  doubtless  to 
fire  a  salute  in  honour  of  the  Admiral." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  101 

„     >• 

Before  the  words  had  fairly  left  the  Captain's 
lips,  the  loud  boom  of  the  first  gun  burst  upon 
the  ear. 

"Oh,  Max,  wouldn't  you  like  to  be  in  that 
Admiral's  place?"  queried  Walter  Travilla;  "  I 
would." 

"  Oh,  our  Maxie  means  to  be  an  admiral  one 
of  these  days ;  and  I  'm  sure  I  hope  he  will," 
said  Rosie. 

"  Very  good  in  you,  Rosie,"  returned  Max, 
smiling  and  blushing ;  ' '  but  I  'm  afraid  I  '11  be 
an  old  man  before  that  happens,  if  it  ever 
does." 

' '  But  you  may  comfort  yourself  that  you  can 
be  very  useful  in  maintaining  your  country's 
honour  without  waiting  to  be  made  an  admiral," 
remarked  Evelyn  Leland,  smiling  pleasantly  at 
Max. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  returning  the  smile,  "  and  it 
is  a  comfort.  We  'd  any  of  us  feel  it  an  itonour 
to  be  useful  to  our  country." 

"I'd  like  to  be,"  remarked  Gracie,  "if  little 
girls  could  do  anything." 

"  Little  girls  are  sometimes  a  very  great  bless 
ing  and  comfort  to  their  fathers,"  the  Captain 
said,  smiling  down  into  her  eyes  while  he  laid  his 
right  hand  tenderly  on  her  pretty  head,  with  its 
sunny  curls  streaming  in  the  wind. 

In  the  mean  while  the  firing  of  the  salute  had 
gone  on,  the  Admiral  and  his  staff  had  reached 


102  ELSIE   YACHTING 

the  deck  of  the  "  Wanita,"  the  marines  present 
ing  arms,  and  — 

"  There,  what  is  he  going  to  do  now,  Papa?" 
queried  Lulu,  —  "  the  Admiral,  I  mean." 

"  Inspect  the  ship,"  replied  her  father. 

"  What  for,  Papa?"  asked  Grace. 

"To  see  that  every  part  of  it  is  in  perfect 
order." 

"  I  'm  sure  he  will  find  it  so,''  said  Lulu ;  "  for 
when  we  were  there  and  were  taken  all  over  it, 
every  part  was  as  clean  and  neat  as  any  lady's 
parlour." 

Captain  Raymond  now  turned  away  and  began 
talking  with  Mr.  Keith  on  some  subject  that  did 
not  interest  the  children,  but  they  continued  a 
close  watch  of  the  "  Wanita." 

The  Admiral  presently  disappeared  from  the 
deck,  but  at  length  they  saw  him  there  again, 
talking  with  Captain  Wade  and  his  officers  ;  then, 
in  a  few  moments  he  and  his  staff  re-embarked 
and  returned  to  the  flag-ship. 

"  What's  going  to  be  done  now?"  asked  one 
and  another. 

"Watch,  and  you  will  see  presently,"  said 
Captain  Raymond.  "If  you  do  not  wish  to 
miss  something,  I  advise  you  to  keep  both  eyes 
and  ears  open." 

The  advice  seemed  to  be  promptly  followed. 
All  eyes  gazed  intently  in  the  direction  of  the 
"  Wanita  "  and  the  flag-ship. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  103 

Presently  a  signal  was  shown  by  the  flag-ship 
which  Captain  Raymond  promptly  interpreted 
for  the  enlightenment  of  those  about  him, — 
"Abandon  ship." 

"  What  does  that  mean,  Papa? "  asked 
Grace. 

"  Look  and  see  if  you  can't  find  out  for  your 
self,"  he  answered  in  a  pleasant  tone. 

The  signal  seemed  to  have  caused  a  commo 
tion  on  the  deck  of  each  vessel  belonging  to  the 
squadron.  Then  there  was  a  great  splashing  of 
boats  into  the  water,  and  of  other  craft  which  the 
Captain  explained  were  life-rafts  and  catama 
rans  ;  while  at  the  same  time  men  and  boys  were 
scampering  about  with  various  articles  which  he 
said  were  provisions,  nautical  instruments,  etc., 
such  as  would  be  needed  if  the  ships  were  really 
abandoned  out  at  sea. 

"But  why  would  they  ever  do  that,  Papa?" 
Grace  asked  wonderingly.  "  I  should  think  it 
would  always  be  better  to  stay  in  their  ships, 
wouldn't  it?" 

"  Not  always,  daughter.  The  ship  might  be 
on  fire,  or  leaking  so  badly  that  she  would  be 
in  danger  of  sinking." 

"  Oh,  yes,  sir !  I  did  n't  think  of  that,"  she 
responded. 

"  Oh,  see  1 "  said  Rosie  ;  "  they  Ve  all  pushed 
off  away  from  their  ships,  and  the  '  WanitaV 
boats  are  ahead  of  all  the  others." 


104  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"Now  what  are  they  going  to  do,  Papa?" 
asked  Lulu. 

"  I  can  tell  that  only  when  I  see  the  flag- ship's 
next  signal,"  he  replied.  "Ah,  there  it  is,  and 
tells  them  to  go  round  the  harbour  under  sail."  ; 

The  children  watched  with  interest  and  delight 
as  the  order  was  obeyed.  It  was  a  very  pretty 
sight,  but  soon  came  another  signal  from  the 
flag-ship,  which  the  Captain  told  them  was  one 
of  recall ;  and  the  boats  returned  to  their  ships. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  10£ 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  squadron  steamed  out  to  sea,  the  "  Dol 
phin  "  keeping  most  of  the  time  within  sight  of 
the  naval  vessels,  its  passengers  being  anxious  to 
see  more  of  the  evolutions  of  the  men-of-war,  and 
their  commanding  officer  very  willing  to  indulge 
their  wish.  They  were  out  simply  for  pleasure, 
and  were  free  to  turn  in  any  desired  direction. 

The  weather  was  all  that  could  possibly  be 
wished ;  and  in  the  evening  everybody  was  on 
deck  except  the  very  little  ones,  who  were 
already  in  their  nests.  The  vessels  of  the 
squadron  were  in  sight,  and  all  eyes  turned 
frequently  in  their  direction. 

"Do  you  think  they'll  do  anything  to-night, 
Papa?"  asked  Grace,  taking  possession  of  her 
father's  knee,  for  at  the  moment  he  was  sitting 
among  the  others. 

"Who,  daughter?"  he  asked,  smoothing  her 
hair  with  caressing  hand. 

"  Oh,  the  Admiral  and  the  rest  of  them  on  those 
war-ships.  What  do  they  do  at  such  times  when 
they  seem  to  be  sailing  around  just  for  pleasure?  " 

"  I  rather  think  it  is  for  profit  too,"  he  said. 
"  '  In  time  of  peace  prepare  for  war.'  " 

"  But  how  do  they  prepare  for  war,  Papa?" 


106  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  By  having  sham  fights :  going  through  the 
motions  in  a  way  to  do  harm  to  no  one ;  firing 
what  we  call  blank  cartridges,  —  powder  but  no 
balls  ;  getting  the  men  so  familiar  with  their  guns 
that  they  can  handle  them  rapidly  and  without 
making  mistakes  even  in  the  dark.  Ah,  see ! 
there  it  comes  !  "  as  at  that  instant  a  signal-light 
from  the  flag-ship  shot  up  several  hundred  feet 
into  the  air,  speedily  followed  by  another  and 
another,  till  the  whole  sky  seemed  bright  with 
them ;  while  Captain  Raymond,  the  only  one  on 
the  yacht  who  understood  the  messages,  read 
them  off  to  the  others  and  called  their  attention 
to  the  movements  of  the  ships  in  prompt  obe 
dience  to  the  orders. 

"What  is  that  they're  doing,  Papa?"  asked 
Grace,  presently. 

"  Arranging  themselves  in  different  orders  of 
battle,"  he  replied,  and  proceeded  to  explain  each 
movement  as  it  was  made. 

"It's  ever  so  nice  to  see  them,"  she  said, 
"  though  I  do  hope  they  won't  ever  have  to  do 
any  real  fighting." 

"  I  hope  not,  indeed,"  her  father  said ;  "  but  in 
this  wicked,  quarrelsome  world  the  only  way  to 
secure  peace  is  to  show  that  we  are  ready  for 
self-defence  in  case  of  attack." 

"How  beautifully  and  promptly  every  signal 
is  obeyed  ! "  remarked  Grandma  Elsie.  "  It  is  a 
sight  worth  coming  a  long  distance  to  see." 


WITH    THE  RAYMONDS.  107 

"  Yes,  Mamma,"  said  Violet ;  "  and  I'm  proud 
of  our  navy,  even  though  it  is  so  inferior  in  size 
to  that  of  England." 

"  Inferior  in  size,  but  in  nothing  else,  I  believe, 
Mamma  Vi,"  said  Max,  speaking  with  some 
excitement.  "You  know  we've  whipped  the 
British  twice  on  the  sea  in  spite  of  their  navy 
being  so  very  much  larger  than  ours." 

"  Yes,  Maxie,  I  believe  I'm  as  proud  of  that 
fact  as  even  you  can  be,"  laughed  Violet,  while 
his  father  gave  him  a  look  of  mingled  amuse 
ment  and  pride. 

"  I  think,"  remarked  Edward  Travilla,  "  that 
from  the  beginning  of  our  national  life  our  navy 
has  been  one  to  be  proud  of." 

"In  which  I  entirely  agree  with  you,"  said  the 
Captain.  "  But  the  exhibition  seems  to  be  over 
for  to-night,  and  the  hour  is  a  late  one  to  find 
our  young  people  out  of  bed." 

"  Must  we  go  now,  Papa?"  Lulu  asked  in  a 
coaxing  tone  which  seemed  to  add,  "  I  hope  you 
will  let  us  stay  at  least  a  little  longer." 

"  Yes,"  he  said ;  "  my  little  girls  may  say 
good-night  now  and  go  at  once." 

They  obeyed  promptly  and  cheerfully,  and 
before  long  the  others  followed  their  example, 
till  Mr.  Keith  and  the  Captain  had  the  deck  to 
themselves. 

They  lingered  there  for  quite  a  long  while, 
seeming  to  have  fallen  upon  some  very  inter- 


JL08  ELSIE   YACHTING 

esting  topic  of  conversation ;  but  it  was  sud 
denly  broken  in  upon  by  the  sound  of  the 
flag-ship's  drum,  instantly  followed  by  those  of 
all  the  other  vessels  of  the  squadron 

"  Ah,  what  is  the  meaning  of  that,  Raymond?" 
asked  Keith,  gazing  toward  the  war-ships  with 
keen  interest  and  excitement.  "  It  sounds  to  me 
like  a  call  to  battle." 

"  So  it  is,"  replied  the  Captain,  —  "a  night  ex 
ercise  at  the  great  guns,  training  the  men  so  that 
they  may  be  ready  for  all  the  surprises  of  a  time 
of  war." 

Even  as  he  spoke  his  passengers  came  hurrying 
from  the  cabin,  the  ladies  and  young  girls  wrapped 
in  dressing-gowns  and  shawls,  hastily  thrown  on 
to  conceal  their  night-dresses,  one  and  another 
asking  excitedly  what  was  going  to  be  done  now. 
But  even  as  the  words  left  their  lips  the  thun 
der  of  cannon  burst  upon  their  ears,  drowning 
the  Captain's  voice  when  he  would  have  replied. 

"Oh,  is  it  war,  brother  Levis,  really  war?" 
queried  little  Walter,  in  great  excitement. 

"  No,  my  boy ;  only  a  playing  at  war,  I  am 
thankful  to  be  able  to  say.  You  may  look  and 
listen  without  fear  that  any  one  is  to  be  killed,  or 
even  wounded,  unless  through  carelessness." 

But  the  cannon  were  thundering  again,  ship 
after  ship  firing  off  whole  broadsides  at  some 
imaginary  foe.  At  length,  however,  it  was  all 
over,  and  the  passengers  of  the  "Dolphin"  re- 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  109 

turned  to  their  berths  to  stay  there  for  the  re 
mainder  of  the  night. 

*'  "Why,  we  are  anchored,  are  we  not,  Levis?  " 
Violet  asked  of  her  husband  on  awakening  the 
next  morning. 

"  Yes,  my  dear,"  he  answered  ;  "  we  are  riding 
at  anchor  in  Gardiner's  Bay.  I  suspected  that 
would  prove  the  destination  of  the  squadron,  it 
being  about  the  best  place  for  naval  exercises  in 
our  Northern  waters  ;  and  it  seems  I  was  right. 
The  squadron  is  at  anchor  now  at  no  great  dis 
tance  from  us." 

"  And  what  do  you  suppose  they  will  do  here  ?  " 

"  Probably  fight  some  sham  battles  on  sea  and 
land.  Do  you  care  to  witness  such  ?  " 

"Oh,  very  much!  I  should  greatly  prefer 
witnessing  a  sham  battle  to  a  real  one.  But 
they  won't  be  likely  to  begin  it  immediately,  I 
suppose  ? " 

"  No ;  I  presume  we  shall  have  time  for  a 
hearty  breakfast  first,"  replied  her  husband,  with 
a  slight  look  of  amusement.  "  Don't  allow  the 
prospect  of  witnessing  a  battle  to  spoil  your  appe 
tite  for  your  morning  meal,  little  wife." 

"  Oh,  no,"  she  answered,  with  a  pleasant  laugh. 
"  I  really  am  not  now  so  much  of  a  child  as  all 
that  would  come  to." 

It  was  not  long  before  she  and  nearly  every 
other  passenger  had  sought  the  deck  to  take  a 
look  at  their  surroundings  • 


110  ELSIE   YACHTING 

They  found  Gardiner's  Bay  a  beautiful  body  of 
water  bounded  by  islands  on  nearly  every  side, 
that  forming  its  eastern  shore  bearing  the  same 
name.  There  were  a  large  number  of  vessels  in 
the  bay,  —  several  sloops,  schooners,  and  a  yacht 
or  two  beside  the  "  Dolphin,"  to  say  nothing  of 
the  squadron  of  war-ships.  But  all  were  lying 
quietly  at  anchor,  and  our  friends  willingly  re 
sponded  to  the  call  to  breakfast. 

Yet  no  one  cared  to  linger  at  the  table ;  and 
when  all  had  finished  their  repast  they  quickly 
repaired  to  the  deck  to  watch  the  movements  of 
the  squadron.  But  for  a  while  there  seemed  to 
be  none,  tlie  vessels  all  riding  quietly  at  anchor. 

"  Dear  me  !  "  Rosie  at  length  exclaimed,  "  I 
wish  they  'd  begin  to  do  something !  " 

"  I  think  they  are  going  to,"  said  Max.  "  See, 
there 's  a  boat  leaving  the  flag-ship  ;  I  suppose  to 
carry  a  message  tn  one  of  the  others." 

"Oh,  I'll  go  and  ask  Papa  about  it!"  ex 
claimed  Lulu. 

"  About  what,  daughter?  "  asked  the  Captain's 
voice  close  at  her  side. 

"  That  boat  that  has  just  left  the  flag-ship, 
sir,"  she  answered.  "Do  you  know  where  it's 
going,  and  what  for  ?  " 

"  I  can  only  conjecture  that  it  carries  some 
message,  probably  from  the  Admiral  to  the  com 
mander  of  one  of  the  other  vessels." 

"  It  'B  pulling  for  the  «  Wanita,'  "  said  Max  j 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  Ill 

:t  and  see,  there  are  other  boats  going  about 
from  one  vessel  to  another." 

u  Yes,"  his  father  said,  "  and  see  yonder  are 
several  boats  filled  with  marines,  pulling  for  the 
shore  of  Gardiner's  Island.  Evidently  there  is 
to  be  a  sham  fight." 

"  I  'm>  ever  so  glad  it  won't  be  a  real  one, 
Papa,"  said  Grace.  "  It  would  be  so  dreadful 
to  see  folks  killed." 

"  It  would  indeed,"  he  answered.  "  But  you 
may  enjoy  the  show  as  much  as  you  can,  for 
no  one  will  be  hurt  unless  by  accident." 

"  All  the  ships  seem  to  be  getting  boats  ready 
packed  with  things,"  remarked  Lulu ;  "  I  wonder 
what  they  are." 

"  Quite  a  variety,"  replied  her  father,  —  "  great 
guns,  baggage,  arms,  provisions,  and  boxes  that 
doubtless  contain  materials  and  tools  for  repairs, 
compasses,  and  other  articles  too  numerous  to 
mention.  There  !  the  vessels  are  signalling  that 
they  are  ready." 

' "  They  are  getting  into  the  boats  ! "  exclaimed 
Max,  clapping  his  hands  in  delight ;  "  and  the 
other  fellows  that  went  first  to  the  island  seem  to 
be  waiting  and  all  ready  to  fight  them." 

Every  one  on  the  "  Dolphin  "  was  now  watching 
the  embarkation  with  interest,  the  children  in  a 
good  deal  of  excitement ;  it  was  like  a  grand 
show  to  them. 

4 '  Oh,  it 's  a  beautiful  sight ! "  said  Eva-    ' '  How 


112  ELSIE    YACHTING 

./*• 

bright  their  guns  and  bayonets  are,  with  the  sun 
shining  on  them !  And  there  are  the  beautiful 
stars  and  stripes  flying  from  every  boat.  But 
they  are  all  in  now,  —  at  least  I  should  think  so ; 
the  boats  look  full,  —  and  why  don't  they  start?  " 

"  They  are  waiting  for  the  Admiral's  inspec 
tion  and  order,"  replied  Captain  Raymond.  "  Ah, 
see,  there  he  is  on  the  bridge  of  the  flag-ship,  with 
his  field-glass,  looking  them  over.  And  now  the 
signal  is  given  for  them  to  proceed." 

The  boats  moved  off  at  once  in  the  direction  of 
the  island  where  the  marines  had  preceded  them, 
Captain  Raymond's  explanations  making  all  their 
movements  well  understood  by  the  young  people 
around  him,  who  thought  they  had  never  wit 
nessed  so  fine  a  sight  as  the  mimic  fight  that 
presently  ensued,  opened  by  the  marines  firing  a 
volley  of  blank  cartridges  from  the  shore,  which 
was  immediately  replied  to  by  the  approaching 
boats  with  musketry,  howitzers,  and  Gatlingguns. 

Soon  they  reached  the  shore  and  landed,  the 
marines  meanwhile  pouring  forth  an  unceasing 
fire  from  behind  their  breastworks. 

A  fierce  battle  followed ;  there  were  charges 
and  counter-charges,  advances  and  retreats,  men 
falling  as  if  wounded  or  killed,  and  being  carried 
off  the  field  by  the  stretcher-men. 

That  last-mentioned  sight  brought  the  tears  to 
Grade's  blue  eyes,  and  she  asked  in  tremulous 
tones,  "  Are  they  really  hurt  or  killed,  Papa?  " 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  113 

"  No,  darling,"  he  said,  pressing  the  small  hand 
she  had  put  into  his,  "  it  is  all  pretence,  just  to 
teach  them  what  to  do  in  case  of  actual  war." 

"  Oh,  I  hope  that  won't  ever  come  !  "  she  ex 
claimed,  furtively  wiping  away  a  tear.  "  Do  you 
think  it  will,  Papa?" 

"Hardly,"  he  said;  "but  it  would  be  the 
height  of  folly  not  to  prepare  for  such  a  con 
tingency." 

"  Hurrah ! "  cried  Max,  throwing  up  his  cap, 
"our  side's  whipped  and  the  other  fellows  are 
retreating ! " 

"Which  do  you  call  our  side?  And  do  you 
mean  it  is  whipped,  or  has  whipped?"  asked 
Rosie,  with  a  laughing  glance  at  the  boy's  ex 
cited  face. 

But  the  Captain  was  speaking  again,  and  Max 
was  too  busy  listening  to  him  to  bestow  any 
notice  upon  Rosie's  questions. 

"Yes,"  the  Captain  said,  "the  marines  are 
retreating ;  the  battle  is  about  over.  Our  side, 
as  Max  calls  it,  you  see,  is  throwing  out  advance- 
guards,  rear-guards,  and  flankers." 

"  What  for,  brother  Levis?"  asked  Walter. 

"  To  make  sure  that  they  have  taken  the  island." 

"And  what  will  come  next,  Captain?"  asked 
Grandma  Elsie,  who  was  watching  the  move 
ments  of  the  troops  with  as  much  interest  as 
the  children. 

"  Fortification,  doubtless,"  he  replied.     "Ah, 


114  ELSIE   YACHTING 

yes  ,  they  are  already  beginning  that  work.  They 
must  fortify  the  island  in  order  to  be  able  to  hold 
it." 

"  How,  Papa?  "  asked  Grace. 

"  By  throwing  up  breastworks,  digging  rifle- 
pits,  planting  guns,  and  so  forth.  If  you  watch 
closely,  you  will  see  what  they  do." 

The  children  —  to  say  nothing  of  the  older 
ones  —  watched  closely  and  with  keen  interest 
all  the  movements  of  the  troops  until  interrupted 
by  the  call  to  dinner. 

They  had  scarcely  returned  to  their  post  of 
observation  on  the  deck,  having  had  barely  time 
to  notice  the  completed  fortifications,  the  tents 
pitched,  and  the  troops  at  their  midday  meal, 
when  a  tiny  strip  of  bunting  was  seen  fluttering 
at  the  flag-ship's  main. 

Captain  Raymond  was  the  first  to  notice  it. 
*'  Ah !  "  he  said,  "  the  fun  on  the  island  is  over, 
^-  at  least  for  the   present,  —  for  there    is  the 
Admiral's  signal  of  recall." 

"I'll  bet  the  fellows  are  sorry  to  see  it !  "  ex 
claimed  Max  ;  "  for  I  dare  say  they  were  going  to 
have  some  fun  there  on  the  island  they  've  taken.' 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS. 


CHAPTER 


THINGS  were  rather  quiet  for  the  rest  of  the 
day,  much  to  Max's  disgust,  though  at  his 
father's  bidding  he  tried  to  forget  the  disap 
pointment  in  study. 

Toward  evening  Captain  Raymond  learned 
something  of  the  Admiral's  plaas.  Two  of  the 
vessels  were  to  take  possession  of  a  part  of  the 
bay  set  off  as  a  harbour,  the  others  to  blockade 
the  entrance. 

In  reporting  the  matter  to  his  passengers, 
"Now,"  he  said,  "the  preparations  will  take 
them  two  or  three  days,  and  the  question  is,  shall 
we  stay  to  see  it  all,  or  turn  about  and  seek  enter 
tainment  elsewhere?  Let  us  have  the  opinion  of 
all  the  older  people,  beginning  with  Grandpa 
Dinsmore,"  looking  pleasantly  at  the  old  gentle 
man  as  he  spoke. 

"My  preference  would  be  rather  for  going 
at  once,"  replied  Mr.  Dinsmore  ;  "  yet  I  am  en 
tirely  willing  to  have  the  matter  decided  by  your 
younger  people.  I  shall  be  quite  content  to 
stay  on  if  it  seems  desirable  to  the  rest  of  the 
company." 


116  ELSIE   YACHTING 

The  vote  of  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  was  then 
taken,  when  it  appeared  that  the  majority  were 
in  favour  of  immediate  departure  ;  and  the  chil 
dren,  though  at  first  disappointed,  grew  quite 
reconciled  when  a  little  time  had  been  spent  in 
considering  what  might  be  seen  and  done  in 
other  quarters. 

"  I  think,  Ned,"  Zoe  said  to  her  husband, 
"  that  we  would  better  go  back  to  our  cottage, 
because  Laurie  and  Lily  are  growing  fretful,  — 
tired  of  the  sea,  I  think." 

"  Very  well,  my  dear,  we  will  do  so  if  you 
wish  it,"  was  the  good-natured  reply.  "  Strange 
as  it  may  seem,  I  too  am  quite  desirous  to  make 
our  twin  babies  as  comfortable  as  possible,"  he 
added,  with  a  pleasant  laugh. 

"  I  am  sorry  you  should  miss  the  sight  of  fur 
ther  operations  here,  Cousin  Donald,"  remarked 
Grandma  Elsie,  turning  to  her  kinsman. 

"  Thank  you,  Cousin  Elsie,"  he  replied  ;  "  but 
though  that  would  be  an  interesting  sight  to  me, 
I  expect  to  find  almost  if  not  equal  enjoyment  in 
a  run  out  to  sea  or  along  shore  with  my  friend 
Raymond  in  command  of  the  vessel." 

"  Oh,  I  think  that  '11  be  just  splendid,"  ex 
claimed  Max,  "  and  that  before  we  get  back, 
Cousin  Donald,  you  '11  be  ready  to  own  up  that 
the  navy  is  a  more  desirable  place  to  be  in  than 
the  army." 

"  Perhaps  he_  would  n't  own  up  even  if  he 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  117 

thougnt  so,"  remarked  Rosie,  with  a  merry  look 
at-  her  cousin ;  "I  don't  believe  I  should  if  I 
were  in  his  place." 

"Possibly  I  might,"  he  returned,  laughingly, 
"  but  I  certainly  do  not  expect  to  fall  quite  so 
deeply  in  love  with  a  '  life  on  the  ocean  wave,' 
though  I  hope  to  be  always  willing  and  anxious 
to  serve  my  country  wherever  and  whenever  I 
may  be  needed.  I  think  both  army  and  navy 
always  have  been,  and  always  will  be,  ready  to 
defend  her  on  land  or  sea." 

"Yes,  sir,  I  believe  that's  so,"  said  Max. 
"  And  if  ever  we  should  have  another  war,  I 
hope  I'll  be  able  to  help  defend  her." 

"  I  hope  so,  my  boy,"  the  Captain  said,  re 
garding  the  lad  with  an  expression  of  fatherly 
pride  and  affection. 

An  hour  later  the  "  Dolphin  "  was  sailing 
out  of  the  bay,  all  her  passengers  gathered  on 
deck,  taking  a  farewell  look  at  the  vessels  belong 
ing  to  the  squadron,  and  on  awaking  in  the 
morning  they  found  themselves  lying  at  anchor 
in  Newport  harbour. 

They  returned  to  their  cottages  for  a  day  or 
two ;  then  the  Raymonds,  Grandma  Elsie,  with 
the  youngest  two  cf  her  children,  and  Donald 
Keith,  again  set  sail  in  the  "  Dolphin." 

The  weather  was  all  that  could  be  desired, 
every  one  well  and  in  the  best  of  spirits. 

Max  was  required  to  devote  a  part  of  each 


118  ELSIE  YACHTING 

to  study,  and  recitation  to  his  father,  but  did  not 
grumble  over  that,  and  took  great  delight  in  the 
lessons  in  practical  navigation  given  him  daily 
by  the  Captain. 

"Papa,"  he  asked  one  day,  "  what's  the  need 
of  a  boy  going  to  the  Naval  Academy  when  he 
can  learn  everything  he  needs  to  know  on  ship 
board  with  a  father  like  you?  " 

"But  he  can't,"  replied  the  Captain;  "how 
to  sail  a  ship  is  by  no  means  all  he  needs  to  know 
to  fit  him  to  be  an  officer  in  the  navy." 

"Why,  what  else  is  necessary,  sir?"  asked 
Max,  with  a  look  of  surprise. 

"  A  number  of  things  which  you  saw  done  at 
Newport  and  at  Gardiner's  Bay  are  quite  neces 
sary.  He  must  know  how  to  fight  a  battle,  take 
charge  of  an  ordnance  foundry,  and  conduct  an 
astronomical  observatory ;  must  have  a  good 
knowledge  of  history,  be  an  able  jurist  and  lin 
guist,  and  a  good  historian,  —  besides  knowing 
how  to  manage  a  ship  in  calm  or  storm." 

"Whew  !  what  a  lot  of  things  to  cram  into 
one  head  !  "  laughed  Max,  with  a  slightly  troubled 
look  on  his  bright  young  face. 

"Isn't  yours  big  enough  to  hold  it  all?" 
asked  his  father,  with  an  amused  smile. 

"  I  dare  say  it  is,  sir,"  replied  Max,  "  but  the 
difficulty  is  to  pack  it  all  in  right.  I  presume  the 
teachers  will  help  me  to  do  that,  though." 

"Certainly;   and  if    you  follow  their  direc* 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  119 

tions  carefully  you  will  have  no  need  to  fear 
failure." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.  That's  very  encouraging," 
said  Max ;  "  and  I  am  fully  determined  to  try 
my  very  best,  Papa,  if  it  was  only  not  to  dis 
grace  my  father." 

"  My  dear  son,"  the  Captain  said,  a  trifle 
huskily,  and  taking  the  boy's  hand  in  a  warm 
clasp,  "  I  don't  doubt  that  you  intend  to  do 
as  you  have  said  ;  but  never  forget  that  your 
only  safety  is  in  keeping  close  to  Him  who 
has  said,  'In  Me  is  thine  help.'" 

It  was  Saturday  evening,  —  the  first  that  had 
found  them  on  the  broad  ocean,  out  of  sight  of 
land.  They  were  all  on  deck,  enjoying  the  deli 
cious  evening  breeze  and  a  most  brilliant  sunset. 

"Papa,"  Gracie  said,  breaking  a  momentary 
silence,  "  what  are  we  going  to  do  about  keep 
ing  the  Lord's  Day  to-morrow  ?  We  can't  go  to 
church,  you  know,  unless  you  can  sail  the  '  Dol 
phin  '  back  to  land  in  the  night." 

"  I  cannot  do  that,  daughter,"  he  answered ; 
"  but  I  can  conduct  a  service  here  on  the  deck. 
How  will  that  do,  do  you  think  ?  " 

*'  I  don't  know,  Papa,"  she  replied,  with  some 
hesitation,  blushing  and  looking  fearful  of  hurt 
ing  his  feelings  ;  "  I  s'pose  you  could  n't  preach 
a  sermon  ?  " 

"  Why  not?  "  he  asked,  smiling  a  little  at  her 
evident  embarrassment. 


120  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  Because  you  're  not  a  minister,  Papa." 

"  Why,  Gracie  !  Papa 's  as  good  as  any  minis« 
ter,  I  'm  sure,"  exclaimed  Lulu,  half  reproach 
fully,  half  indignantly. 

' '  Of  course  he  is  ;  I  did  n't  mean  that !  " 
returned  Gracie,  just  ready  to  burst  into  tears  ; 
' '  I  did  n't  mean  he  was  n't  as  good  as  anybody  in 
this  whole  world,  —  for  of  course  he  is,  —  but  I 
thought  it  was  only  ministers  that  preach." 

"  But  I  can  read  a  sermon,  my  pet,"  the  Cap 
tain  said,  "  or  preach  one  if  I  choose ;  there  is 
no  law  against  it.  And  we  can  pray  and  sing 
hymns  together ;  and  if  we  put  our  hearts  into 
it  all,  our  heavenly  Father  will  be  as  ready  to 
listen  to  us  as  to  other  worshippers  in  the  finest 
churches  on  the  land." 

"That  is  a  very  comforting  truth,"  remarked 
Grandma  Elsie ;  "  it  is  very  sweet  to  reflect  that 
God  is  as  near  to  us  out  on  the  wide  and  deep 
sea  as  to  any  of  his  worshippers  on  the  dry 
land." 

"  You  will  hold  your  service  in  the  morning,  I 
suppose,  Captain  ?  "  Mr.  Keith  said  inquiringly. 

"  That  is  what  I  had  thought  of  doing,  sir," 
was  the  reply.  "  Have  you  any  suggestions  to 
make  ?  " 

"  Only  that  we  might  have  a  Bible  class  later 
in  the  day." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  that  was  a  part  of  my  programme, 
—  at  least  I  had  thought  of  teaching  my  own 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  121 

children,  as  is  customary  with  me  at  home ;  but 
if  the  suggestion  meets  with  favour,  we  will  re 
solve  ourselves  into  a  Bible  class,  each  one  able 
to  read  taking  part.  What  do  you  all  say  to  the 
proposition  ?  " 

"  I  highly  approve,"  said  Grandma  Elsie  ;  "  I 
am  sure  the  day  could  not  be  better  spent  than 
in  the  study  of  God's  Holy  Word." 

"  Nor  more  delightfully,"  said  Violet. 

"  I  think  we  would  all  like  it,  Captain,"  Evelyn 
remarked  in  her  quiet  way. 

"I'm  sure  I  shall,"  said  Lulu  ;  "  Papa  always 
makes  Bible  lessons  very  interesting." 

"  That 's  so,"  said  Max  ;  "  I  was  never  taught 
by  any  minister  or  Sunday-school  teacher  that 
made  them  half  so  interesting." 

"  It  is  quite  possible  that  your  near  relation 
ship  to  your  teacher  may  have  made  a  good  deal 
of  difference,  my  children,"  the  Captain  said 
gravely,  though  not  unkindly.  "  But  who  shall 
act  as  teacher  on  this  occasion  is  a  question  still 
to  be  decided.  I  propose  Grandma  Elsie,  as  the 
eldest  of  those  present,  and  probably  the  best 
qualified." 

"  All  in  favour  of  that  motion  please  say  ay," 
added  Violet,  playfully.  "  I  am  sure  no  better 
teacher  could  be  found  than  Mamma,  though  I 
incline  to  the  opinion  that  my  husband  would 
do  equally  well." 

"  Much  better,  I  think,"  Grandma  Elsie  said; 


122  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  and  I  would  greatly  prefer  to  be  one  of  his 
pupils." 

"  I  can  hardly  consider  myself  wise  enough  to 
teach  my  mother,"  said  the  Captain,  colouring 
.  and  laughing  lightly,  "  even  though  she  is  far  too 
young  to  be  own  mother  to  a  man  of  my  age." 

"  But  you  may  lead  a  Bible  class  of  which  she 
forms  a  part,  may  you  not?"  queried  Donald 
Keith. 

"  I  suppose  that  might  be  possible,"  the  Cap 
tain  replied,  with  a  humourous  look  and  smile. 

"I'm  sure  you  can  and  will,  since  such  is 
your  mother's  wish,"  Grandma  Elsie  said  in  a 
sportive  tone,  "  and  so  we  may  consider  that 
matter  settled." 

"  And  Mamma's  word  having  always  been  law 
to  her  children,  we  will  consider  it  so,"  Violet 
said.  "  Shall  we  not,  Levis?  " 

"  As  good  and  dutiful  children  I  suppose  we 
must,  my  dear,"  he  returned  in  the  playful  tone 
she  particularly  liked. 

Sunday  morning  dawned  clear  and  beautiful,  a 
delicious  breeze  filling  the  sails  and  wafting  the 
vessel  swiftly  onward  over  the  sparkling  water. 
(  An  hour  or  so  after  breakfast,  captain,  pas 
sengers,  and  crew,  except  the  man  at  the  helm, 
gathered  on  deck,  every  one  in  neat  and  appro 
priate  dress.  The  ladies,  gentlemen,  and  children 
sat  on  one  side,  the  crew  on  the  other,  Captain 
Raymond  standing  between.  A  Bible  and  a  pile 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  123 

of  hymn-books  lay  on  a  stand  before  him,  and 
Max  was  directed  to  distribute  the  latter.  They 
were  a  part  of  the  supplies  Captain  Raymond 
had  laid  in  for  the  voyage. 

A  melodeon  also  stood  near  the  stand,  and 
Violet,  seating  herself  before  it,  led  the  singing 
with  which  the  service  opened. 

The  Captain  then  offered  a  short  prayer,  read  a 
portion  of  Scripture,  a  second  hymn  was  sung ; 
then  he  gave  them  a  short  discourse  on  the  text, 
"  They  hated  Me  without  a  cause." 

"With  much  feeling  and  in  simple  language  that 
the  youngest  and  most  ignorant  of  his  hearers 
could  readily  understand,  he  described  the  lovely 
character  and  beneficent  life  of  Christ  upon 
earth,  —  always  about  His  Father's  business, 
doing  good  to  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men,  — 
and  the  bitter  enmity  of  the  scribes  and  Phari 
sees,  who  "hated  Him  without  a  cause."  Then 
he  went  on  to  tell  of  the  agony  in  the  garden,  the 
betrayal  by  Judas,  —  "  one  of  the  twelve,"  —  the 
mockery  of  a  trial,  the  scourging  and  the  crown 
of  thorns,  the  carrying  of  the  cross  and  the 
dreadful  death  upon  it. 

"  All  this  He  bore  for  you  and  for  me,"  he  con 
cluded  in  tones  tremulous  with  emotion  ;  "  con 
strained  by  His  great  love  for  us,  He  died  that 
dreadful  death  that  we  might  live.  And  shall 
we  not  love  Him  in  return  ?  Shall  we  not  give 
ourselves  to  Him,  and  serve  Hun  with  all  our 


124  ELSIE   YACHTING 

> 

powers?  It  is  a  reasonable  service,  a  glad  ser 
vice,  —  a  service  that  gives  rest  to  the  soul.  He 
says  to  each  one  of  us,  '  Take  My  yoke  upon 
you,  and  learn  of  Me  ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly 
in  heart ;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls. 
For  My  yoke  is  easy,  and  My  burden  is  light.' 

"  Ah,  do  not  refuse  or  neglect  His  invitation, 
for  the  only  choice  is  between  His  service  and 
that  of  Satan,  —  that  malignant  spirit  whose 
fierce  desire  and  effort  is  to  drag  all  souls  down 
to  his  own  depths  of  sin  and  misery ;  and  Jesus 
only  can  save  you  from  falling  into  his  cruel 
hands.  But  He  —  the  Lord  of  Life  and  Glory 
—  invites  us  all  to  come  and  be  saved,  and 
*  now  is  the  accepted  time ;  now  is  the  day  of 
salvation.'  Delay  is  most  dangerous ;  life  is 
very  uncertain.  We  are  sure  of  no  time  but 
now." 

He  closed  the  Bible  and  sat  down  ;  and  Violet, 
again  seating  herself  before  the  melodeon,  softly 
touched  the  keys  and  sang  in  sweet,  low  tones, 
but  so  distinctly  that  every  word  reached  the 
farthest  listener,  — 

"  Come  to  Jesus,  come  to  Jesus ; 
Come  to  Jesus  just  now,  just  now; 
Come  to  Jesus,  come  to  Jesus  just  now." 

Then,  at  a  sign  from  the  Captain,  Mr.  Keith 
followed  with  an  earnest  prayer;  and  with 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  125 

another  hymn  in  which  all  united,  the  service* 
closed. 

Among  the  crew  was  one  young  man  in  whom 
the  Captain  and  Grandma  Elsie  had  both  come 
to  feel  a  peculiar  interest.  He  was  evidently  an 
American,  and  possessed  of  more  intelligence 
and  education  than  the  average  sailor  before 
the  mast.  He  had  listened  with  close  atten 
tion  to  the  Captain's  discourse,  and  with  a 
troubled  countenance,  as  Mrs.  Travilla  had 
noticed. 

"  The  Holy  Spirit  is  striving  with  him,  I  have 
little  doubt,"  she  said  to  herself.  "  Ah,  if  I 
could  but  help  him  to  find  Jesus,  and  to  know 
the  sweetness  of  His'love  !  " 

It  was  not  long  before  the  desired  opportunity 
offered.  The  young  man  was  at  the  wheel  and 
no  one  near,  while  she  paced  the  deck  slowly 
and  alone.  Gradually  she  approached,  and 
when  close  at  his  side  made  some  pleasant 
remark  about  the  vessel  and  the  course  they 
were  steering. 

He  responded  in  a  polite  and  respectful 
manner. 

Then  she  spoke  of  the  service  of  the  morn 
ing,  said  she  had  noticed  the  attention  he  paid 
to  the  Captain's  short  sermon,  and  asked  in 
kindest  words  and  tones  if  he,  like  herself, 
was  one  who  loved  Jesus,  and  trusted  in  Him 
for  salvation  from  sin  and  eternal  death. 


126  ELSIE   YACHTING 

He  sighed  deeply,  then  said  with  emotion., 
"No,  madam,  but  — I  wish  I  were." 

"  But  what  is  to  hinder,  my  friend,  since  He 
says,  '  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out '  ?  "  she  asked  gently,  feelingly. 

He  was  silent  for  a  moment,  evidently  from 
emotion,  then  said,  rather  as  if  thinking  aloud 
than  addressing  her,  "If  I  only  knew  just 
how ! " 

"  He  is  very  near,  and  His  omniscient  eye 
reads  the  heart,"  she  said  low  and  feelingly. 
"  Speak  to  Him  just  as  if  you  could  see  Him,  — 
as  if  you  were  kneeling  at  His  feet,  —  and  He 
will  hear. 

"  The  Bible  says,  '  If  we  confess  our  sins,  He 
is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.'  Do  you 
want  that  cleansing,  my  friend?" 

He  bowed  a  silent  assent. 

"  Then  go  to  Jesus  for  it,"  she  said.  "  He,  and 
He  alone,  can  give  it.  He  shed  His  blood  for  us 
that '  God  may  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  him 
that  believeth  in  Jesus  ; '  for  '  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  His  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.'  " 

There  was  a  moment's  silence ;  then,  "  I  'd 
like  to  be  a  Christian,  ma'am,"  he  said,  "  such 
as  I  see  you  and  the  Captain  are,  but  — " 

The  sentence  was  left  unfinished  ;  and  after  a 
moment's  pause,  "  I  should  like  you  to  be  a  bet 
ter  one  than  I  am,"  she  said,  "  but  Jesus  only 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  127 

can  make  you  such.  The  work  is  too  difficult  for 
any  human  creature ;  but  Jesus  is  all-powerful, 
—  '  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come 
unto  God  by  Him,  seeing  He  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession  for  them.'  Is  not  that  a  precious 
assurance  ?  " 

"It  is  indeed,  ma'am,  if  —  if  I  only  knew  it 
meant  me." 

"  You  certainly  will  be  one  of  those  of  whom  it 
speaks  if  you  '  come  unto  God  by  Him  ; '  and  He 
invites  you  to  come  :  '  Come  unto  Me  all  ye  that 
labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest.' " 

"Could  you  tell  me  just  how,  ma'am,  —  as 
if  you  were  pointing  out  the  right  road  to  a  trav 
eller,  for  instance  ?  " 

"  I  will  try,"  she  said.  "  You  must  remember 
that  He  is  always  near,  —  close  to  us,  though  we 
cannot  see  Him ;  and  you  may  speak  to  Him 
as  readily,  and  with  as  much  assurance  that  you 
will  be  heard,  as  you  have  been  speaking  to  me. 

"  He  is  full  of  love  and  compassion,  —  love  so 
infinite,  compassion  so  great  that  He  was  will 
ing  to  endure  all  the  agony  of  death  upon  the 
cross,  and  the  far  greater  suffering  caused  by  the 
burden  of  the  sins  of  the  world  and  the  conse 
quent  hiding  of  His  Father's  face ;  therefore 
He  will  not  cast  you  out,  will  not  turn  away  from 
you,  if  you  come  in  true  penitence  and  faith. 

"  Make  confession  of  your  sins  and  plead  for 


128  ELSIE  YACHTING 

pardon  and  acceptance  as  you  would  if  you  could 
see  Him  while  kneeling  at  His  feet ;  and  He  will 
grant  it,  will  forgive  all  your  transgressions  and 
adopt  you  into  His  family  to  be  His  own  child 
forever." 

But  others  of  the  passengers  were  now  draw 
ing  near,  and  he  had  only  time  to  thank  her  for 
her  kindly  interest  in  him,  and  promise  to  think 
of  what  she  had  been  saying,  before  Walter  and 
Max  were  at  her  side,  calling  her  attention  to  a 
passing  vessel. 

A  very  interesting  Bible  lesson  filled  up  most 
of  the  afternoon,  both  adults  and  children  taking 
part ;  and  in  the  evening  hymns  were  sung  and 
conversation  held  such  as  was  suited  to  the 
sacredness  of  the  day. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.     129 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  FEW  days  longer  the  "  Dolphin  "  kept  on  her 
eastward  course,  then  was  headed  for  the  shore 
of  Massachusetts,  bound  for  Boston,  where  Mr. 
'Keith  must  leave  her,  his  furlough  having  now 
nearly  expired.  He  and  his  cousins  would  be 
sorry  to  part ;  but  there  was  no  help  for  it,  as 
Uncle  Sam's  orders  must  be  obeyed. 

The  young  folks  of  the  party  had  particularly 
enjoyed  the  little  trip  out  to  sea,  but  expected  to 
find  a  sail  along  the  coast  of  the  New  England 
States  quite  as  much  to  their  taste,  particularly 
as  it  would  give  them  an  opportunity  to  look 
upon  some  of  the  scenes  of  incidents  in  the  two 
wars  with  England. 

They  had  come  in  sight  of  the  coast  and  were 
all  gathered  upon  the  deck. 

"  That  is  Scituate,  is  it  not,  Captain?"  asked 
Grandma  Elsie,  indicating  a  town  that  had  just 
come  into  view. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  and  I  presume  you  remem 
ber  the  story  of  the  last  war  with  England,  con 
nected  with  it  ?  " 

"I  do,"  she  answered;  "but  I  presume  it 
would  be  new  to  some  at  least  of  these  young 
people." 

9 


130  ELSIE   YACHTING 

Then  entreaties  for  the  story  poured  in  upon 
her  and  the  Captain  from  both  boys  and  girls. 

"It  is  but  a  short  one ;  and  I  would  pre 
fer  to  have  the  Captain  tell  it,"  Mrs.  Travilla 
replied. 

"  Oh,  Papa,  please  do ! "  exclaimed  Lulu  ;  and 
he  complied. 

"  It  was,  as  I  have  said,  during  the  last  war 
with  England  that  the  occurrence  I  am  about  to 
tell  of  took  place.  At  that  time  there  was  a 
light-house  in  the  harbour  kept  by  a  man  named 
Reuben  Bates,  who  had  a  family  of  grown-up 
sons  and  daughters. 

"  He  and  his  sons  were  members  of  a  militia 
company  of  the  town,  and  one  day  during  the 
war  they  were  all  absent  from  home  on  that 
business,  leaving  the  light-house  in  charge  of 
the  daughters,  Abigail  and  Rebecca. 

"  The  girls,  who  were  no  doubt  keeping  a 
vigilant  watch  for  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
saw  a  British  ship  entering  the  harbour,  and 
conjectured  that  it  was  the  design  of  those  on 
board  of  her  to  destroy  the  fishing-boats  in  the 
harbour  and  perhaps  burn  the  town,  or  at  least 
rob  its  inhabitants. 

"  They  must  have  been  brave  girls,  for  at  once 
they  began  to  consider  what  they  could  do  to 
drive  away  the  would-be  invaders. 

"  I  presume  Abigail  exclaimed,  '  Oh,  if  we 
could  only  make  them  think  there  were  troops 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  131 

ready  to  defend  the  town,  and  so  frighten  them 
away  ! '  And  very  likely  Rebecca  replied,  '  Per 
haps  we  can.  If  you  can  play  the  fife,  I  '11  beat 
the  drum ;  and  if  we  are  hidden  from  sight  they 
may  think  there  are  troops  ready  to  receive 
them  if  they  come  ashore,  and  so  be  afraid  to 
land.' 

"  So  they  went  around  behind  some  sand-hills 
and  played  '  Yankee  Doodle '  in  a  lively  way 
that  had  exactly  the  desired  effect. 

"The  British  ship  had  sent  out  boats  filled 
with  armed  men  who  were  pulling  for  the  shore  ; 
but  on  hearing  the  music  of  the  drum  and  fife, 
they  evidently  concluded  that  there  might  be  a 
large  force  of  American  soldiers  ready  to  receive 
them,  and  thinking  '  discretion  the  better  part  of 
valour,'  turned  about  and  pulled  back  to  their  ship 
again  without  attempting  to  land." 

"Oh,  wasn't  that  good?"  exclaimed  Lulu; 
"I  think  the  fathers  and  brothers  of  those  girls 
must  have  been  proud  of  them." 

"  Yes,  I  dare  say  they  were,"  said  Max. 

"  I  wonder  what  became  of  them  —  those 
girls  —  afterward?"  said  Rosie.  "  Of  course 
they  must  have  been  dead  and  gone  long  be 
fore  this." 

"  No,"  replied  the  Captain,  "  Abigail  died  only 
recently  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine." 

"  Papa,  won't  you  stay  awhile  in  Boston  and 
take  us  to  see  some  of  the  places  connected 


132  ELSIE   YACHTING 

with  Revolutionary  times,  —  Bunker  Hill  and  its 
monument,  and  maybe  some  others?"  asked 
Max. 

"  I  shall  be  pleased  to  do  so,  my  son,  if  noth 
ing  happens  to  prevent,"  was  the  pleas  ant- toned 
reply.  "It  is  my  strong  desire  to  have  my 
children  well-informed  in  regard  to  the  history 
of  their  own  country." 

"  And  ardent  patriots  too,  Papa,  ready  to  de 
fend  her  to  the  utmost  of  their  ability  should  she 
be  attacked  by  any  other  power  ?  "  queried  Max, 
looking  smilingly  up  into  his  father's  face. 

"  Yes,  my  son  ;  particularly  the  boys,"  replied 
the  Captain,  smiling  in  his  turn  at  the  lad's 
enthusiasm. 

"  Well,  there  's  one  of  your  girls  that  I  am 
sure  would  find  a  way  to  help,  Papa,  —  nursing  the 
wounded  soldiers  perhaps,  or  carrying  despatches 
or  something,"  said  Lulu;  "perhaps  giving  in 
formation  of  an  intended  attack  by  the  enemy, 
as  Lydia  Darrah  did." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  you  would  do  all  you  could, 
daughter,  and  might  perhaps  be  of  more  assist 
ance  than  many  a  man,"  her  father  answered 
kindly. 

"I'm  afraid  I  shouldn't  be  brave  enough  to 
do  such  things  as  that,"  remarked  Grace,  with  a 
look  that  seemed  to  say  she  felt  herself  quite 
inferior  to  her  braver  sister  ;  ' '  but  I  could  pray 
for  my  country,  and  I  know  that  God  hears 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  133 

and  answers  prayer,  —  so  that  would  be  helping, 
wouldn't  it,  Papa?" 

"  Yes,  my  dear  child  ;  the  Bible  tells  us  a  great 
deal  about  the  power  of  prayer ;  '  Call  upon  Me 
in  the  day  of  trouble :  I  will  deliver  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  glorify  Me,'  is  one  of  its  promises. 

"  Yes,"  said  Grandma  Elsie,  "  a  cry  to  God, 
the  Ruler  of  the  universe,  for  help,  may  accom 
plish  more  than  any  effort  on  the  part  of  man 
to  do  for  himself." 

"  But  people  must  help  themselves  too, 
Mamma?"  Walter  said,  half  in  assertion,  half 
inquiringly. 

"  Yes,  my  son,  if  they  can ;  *  Faith  without 
works  is  dead,'  the  Apostle  says.  The  right  way 
is  to  do  all  we  can  to  help  ourselves,  at  the 
same  time  asking  God's  blessing  upon  our 
efforts." 

"  As  General  "Washington  did,"  remarked 
Mr.  Keith.  "  He  was  a  man  of  both  works 
and  prayer,  —  a  blessing  to  his  country,  and  to 
the  world ;  in  my  estimation  the  greatest  mere 
man  that  ever  lived.  *  First  in  peace,  first  in 
war,  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen.' " 

"Yes,"  assented  Grandma  Elsie,  "  I  like  the 
toast  given  by  some  one,  —  I  have  forgotten  who 
it  was,  —  '  Washington  :  Providence  left  him 
childless  that  his  country  might  call  him  father.' 
He  seems  to  me  to  have  been  as  nearly  perfect  as 
one  of  the  sinful  race  of  man  could  be  !  " 


134  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  Yes,"  responded  Captain  Raymond  ;  "  thor 
oughly  unselfish,  just,  generous,  modest,  self- 
denying  and  self-sacrificing,  charitable  to  the  poor, 
forgiving,  fearless  and  heroic  ;  a  God-fearing  man 
who  sought  nothing  for  himself,  but  was  ready  to 
do  or  die  for  his  country  ;  true  to  her,  to  his  friends, 
to  his  God ;  a  sincere  and  earnest  Christian,  — 
where  can  a  more  noble  character  be  found  ? " 

"  I  think,"  said  Mrs.  Travilla,  "  he  was  an' 
instrument  raised  up  and  prepared  of  God  for 
the  work  that  he  did  in  securing  to  our  beloved 
country  the  liberties  she  now  enjoys." 

"  I  very  much  like  what  Lord  Brougham  says 
of  him,"  remarked  Violet. 

"  Oh,  can  you  repeat  it,  Mamma  Vi?  "  queried 
Lulu,  eagerly. 

"  Yes,  I  think  I  can,"  returned  Violet,  who 
was  blessed  with  an  excellent  memory. 

"  '  It  will  be  the  duty  of  the  historian  and  sage 
in  all  ages  to  let  no  occasion  pass  of  commem 
orating  this  illustrious  man ;  and  until  time 
shall  be  no  more,  will  a  test  of  the  progress 
which  our  race  has  made  in  wisdom  and  virtue 
be  derived  from  the  veneration  paid  to  the  im 
mortal  name  of  Washington  !  ' ; 

"  I  like  that,"  said  Rosie,  her  eyes  sparkling 
with  pleasure  and  enthusiasm,  "  and  it 's  none  the 
worse  for  having  come  from  an  Englishman." 

"  Not  a  bit,"  assented  Keith. 

"  Mamma,   was  Washington   commander    at 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  135 

the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill? "  asked  Walter. 
"  I  ought  to  know ;  but  I  can't  remember  just 
now." 

"  No,  my  son,"  she  answered,  "  it  was  fought 
before  he  reached  Boston, — in  fact,  the  very 
day,  June  17,  that  Congress  agreed  to  his  com 
mission  as  commander-in-chief  of  all  the  Con 
tinental  forces  raised,  or  to  be  raised  ;  and  on  the 
21st  he  set  out  on  horseback  from  Philadelphia 
for  Boston  to  take  command  of  the  American 
army  encamped  there,  —  or  rather  around  it,  the 
British  being  in  possession  of  the  town  itself. 
News  did  not  fly  then  as  it  does  in  these  days, 
by  any  means  ;  and  it  was  not  till  he  arrived  in 
New  York,  on  the  25th,  that  the  tidings  reached 
him. 

"  The  next  day  he  was  in  the  saddle  again, 
pushing  on  toward  the  scene  of  conflict.  He 
reached  Cambridge  on  the  2d  of  July,  and  the 
next  day  took  command  of  the  army,  draw 
ing  his  sword  under  an  ancient  elm." 

"  Why,  just  think!"  exclaimed  Walter,  "it 
took  him  nearly  two  weeks  to  travel  from  Phil 
adelphia  to  Boston,  while  now  we  could  do  it  in 
less  than  two  days.  No  wonder  it  took  so  long 
to  fight  the  British  and  drive  them  out  of  our 
country ! " 

" 1  think  we  'd  do  it  in  less  than  half  that  time 
now,"  said  Max.  "  We  could  move  so  much 
faster,  besides  raising  a  great  deal  bigger  army ; 


136  ELSIE    YACHTING 

to  say  nothing  of  the  navy,  that  I  believe  has 
done  better  in  every  one  of  our  wars  than  the 
land  forces.  I  remember  to  have  read  that  the 
army  Washington  took  command  of  then  con 
sisted  of  only  seventeen  thousand  men,  only 
fourteen  thousand  five  hundred  of  them  fit  for 
duty ;  that  they  were  without  needed  supplies  of 
tents  or  clothing  or  as  much  as  nine  cartridges 
to  a  man." 

"  Yes ;  it 's  a  wonder  Washington  was  n't 
completely  discouraged,"  remarked  Evelyn.  "  I 
think  he  surely  would  have  been  if  he  had  not 
put  his  trust  in  God  and  the  righteousness  of 
our  country's  cause." 

"No  doubt  it  was  that  which  strengthened 
him  for  the  long  and  arduous  struggle,"  said 
Mrs.  Travilla.  "Washington  was,  as  I  said  a 
moment  since,  a  man  of  prayer ;  he  looked  to 
God  for  help  in  the  hour  of  his  country's  sorest 
need,  and  surely  his  prayers  were  heard  and 
answered." 

"  Yes,  Mamma,"  said  Eosie ;  "  I  remember 
reading  that  he  would  go  into  the  woods  to  pray 
privately  for  his  bleeding  country  and  his  suffer 
ing  soldiers  ;  that  some  one  happened  to  see  him 
alone  there  in  prayer  with  the  tears  coursing 
down  his  cheeks.  Oh,  it's  no  wonder  that  with 
such  a  leader  and  in  so  righteous  a  cause,  our 
arms  were  victorious  in  spite  of  the  fearful 
odds  against  us!" 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS!         137 

t 

,•* 

"And  it  was  God  who  gave  us  such  a 
leader,"  responded  her  mother,  "  and  gave 
him  wisdom  and  courage  for  his  work,  and 
final  success  in  carrying  it  on  to  the  desired 
end." 

"  Was  n't  he  a  member  of  the  Continental 
Congress  before  his  election  as  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  armies?"  asked  Rosie. 

"  Yes,"  replied  her  mother.  "  So  was  Patrick 
Henry  ;  and  he,  when  asked  whom  he  considered 
the  greatest  man  in  that  body,  replied,  '  If  you 
speak  of  eloquence,  Mr.  Rutledge,  of  South  Car 
olina,  is  by  far  the  greatest  orator ;  but  if  you 
speak  of  solid  information  and  sound  judg 
ment,  Colonel  Washington  is  unquestionably  the 
greatest  man  on  that  floor.'" 

"How  long  did  Washington  stay  there  close 
to  Boston,  Papa  ?"  asked  Gracie. 

"  He  carried  on  the  siege  for  eight  months, 
then  on  the  17th  of  March,  1776,  succeeded  in 
driving  the  British  away." 

"  Then  did  he  take  possession  of  the  town  and 
stay  there  awhile  ?  " 

"  He  stayed  until  April,  then  went  to  New 
York,  reaching  there  on  the  13th.  Soon  after 
he  went  to  Philadelphia  to  confer  with  Congress, 
then  back  to  New  York. 

"  While  he  was  there  anxiously  awaiting  an 
attack  from  the  British,  the  Declaration  of  Inde 
pendence,  just  passed  by  Congress,  was  sent  him. 


138  ELSIE   YACHTING 

The  troops  were  quickly  paraded,  and  the  Deo 
laration  read  at  the  head  of  the  army. 

"  In  the  orders  of  the  day  Washington  said  to 
the  troops,  '  The  General  hopes  that  this  impor 
tant  event  will  serve  as  a  fresh  incentive  to 
every  officer  and  soldier  to  act  with  fidelity  and 
courage,  as  knowing  that  the  peace  and  safety 
of  his  country  depend,  under  God,  solely  on 
the  success  of  our  arms.' 

"  But  I  cannot  tell  you  now  the  whole  story  of 
"Washington's  services  to  his  country  in  the  war 
for  independence,  to  say  nothing  of  all  that  he 
did  for  her  afterward." 

"I  think  we  will  read  about  it  after  we  go 
home  to  Woodburn,"  the  Captain  said. 

"Frederick  the  Great  was  a  great  admirer  of 
Washington,"  remarked  Mr.  Keith.  "  He  is  said 
to  have  pronounced  Washington's  masterly  move 
ments  on  the  Delaware  the  most  brilliant  achieve 
ments  recorded  in  military  annals.  And  Lossing 
tells  us  of  a  portrait  of  himself  which  Frederick 
sent  to  Washington  accompanied  by  the  very 
gratifying  words,  '  From  the  oldest  general  in 
Europe  to  the  greatest  general  in  the  world.' 
As  for  myself,  I  must  say  that  I  think  Washing 
ton's  success,  in  spite  of  all  the  difficulties  and 
discouragements  he  had  to  encounter,  was  some 
thing  most  wonderful,  and  was  given  him  in 
answer  to  prayer,  and  because  he  put  his  trust  in 
God  and  looked  to  Him  for  wisdom  and  for  help." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  139 

"  He  was  certainly  one  of  the  most  unselfish 
of  men,"  remarked  Violet.  "What  other  man 
would  have  refused  with  scorn  and  indignation, 
as  he  did,  the  suggestion  that  his  army  would 
like  to  make  him  a  king  ?  " 

"Oh,  did  they  want  to  make  him  king,  and 
tell  him  so?"  asked  Gracie. 

"Yes;  didn't  you  know  that?"  returned 
Lulu. 

"  Papa,  won't  you  tell  about  it  ?  "  Grace  asked, 
turning  to  her  father. 

"  I  will,  daughter,"  he  answered  in  a  kindly, 
affectionate  tone,  and  taking  in  his  the  hand  she 
had  laid  upon  his  knee. 

"  The  battle  of  Yorktown,  which  practically 
secured  the  independence  of  our  country,  was 
fought  in  October,  1781,  but  the  treaty  of  peace 
was  not  signed  till  Jan.  20,  1783 ;  so  our 
armies  were  not  disbanded,  and  officers  and 
soldiers  were  sorely  tried  by  their  pay  being 
delayed,  and  feared,  not  without  reason,  that  they 
might  be  disbanded  without  Congress  making 
proper  provision  for  meeting  their  just  claims. 

"  Some  of  the  officers  began  to  doubt  the  ef 
ficiency  of  the  Government,  and  of  all  republican 
institutions,  and  talked  among  themselves  as  to 
whether  it  might  not  be  better  to  establish  a 
monarchy  instead;  and  at  length  one  of  them 
was  deputed  to  confer  with  Washington  on  the 
subject. 


140  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  He  did  so,  —  it  seems  in  writing,  —  and  even 
ventured  to  suggest  for  him  the  title  of  king. 

"  But,  as  you  have  just  heard,  Washington 
rebuked  the  writer  severely,  saying  he  was  at  a 
loss  to  conceive  what  part  of  his  conduct  could 
have  given  encouragement  to  an  address  that 
seemed  to  him  big  with  the  greatest  mischiefs 
that  could  befall  his  country;  that  if  he  was 
not  deceived  in  the  knowledge  of  himself,  they 
could  not  have  found  a  person  to  whom  their 
schemes  were  more  disagreeable. 

"  He  also  conjured  the  writer,  if  he  had  any 
regard  for  his  country,  concern  for  himself  or 
posterity,  or  respect  for  him,  to  banish  these 
thoughts  from  his  mind,  and  never  communicate 
a  sentiment  of  such  a  nature  from  himself  or 
any  one  else." 

"Did  they  give  it  up  then,  Papa?"  Gracie 
asked. 

"  Nothing  more  was  ever  said  about  making 
Washington  king,"  he  answered  ;  "  but  the  next 
December  they  sent  to  Congress  a  memorial  on 
the  subject  of  their  pay.  A  resolution  was 
adopted  by  that  body,  but  such  as  did  not  satisfy 
the  complainants.  Then  a  meeting  of  officers 
was  arranged  for ;  and  anonymous  addresses, 
commonly  known  as  the  Newburg  addresses, 
were  sent  out  to  rouse  the  army  to  resentment. 

"  Washington  insisted  on  attending  the  meet 
ing,  and  delivered  an  impressive  address. 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  141 

"  He  had  written  down  what  he  wished  to  say, 
and  after  reading  the  first  paragraph  paused  to 
put  on  his  spectacles,  saying  most  touchingly,  as 
he  did  so,  that  he  had  grown  gray  in  the  service 
of  his  country,  and  now  found  himself  growing 
blind. 

"  He  then  went  on  to  read  a  most  noble  paper 
which  he  had  prepared  for  the  occasion.  In  it 
he  acknowledged  the  just  claims  of  the  army 
against  the  Government,  and  assured  them  that 
they  would  not  be  disregarded  ;  then  he  entreated 
them  '  to  express  their  utmost  horror  and  detesta 
tion  of  the  man  who  wishes,  under  any  specious 
pretences,  to  overturn  the  liberties  of  our  country, 
and  who  wickedly  attempts  to  open  the  floodgates 
of  civil  discord  and  deluge  our  rising  empire  iff 
blood.' 

"  Then,  having  finished  his  address,  he  retired 
from  the  meeting ;  but  resolutions  were  at  once 
offered  by  General  Knox,  seconded  by  General 
Putnam  and  adopted  by  the  meeting,  agreeing 
with  all  he  had  said  and  reciprocating  his  ex 
pressions  of  esteem  and  affection.  They  were 
relieved  of  their  doubts  and  fears  and  restored 
to  their  wonted  love  for  their  country." 

"  Oh,  that  was  nice,  Papa !  "  exclaimed  Gracie, 
her  cheeks  flushing  and  her  eyes  shining.  "  How 
good  and  great  our  Washington  was  !  It  seems 
to  me  we  would  never  have  got  free  from  Great 
Britain  if  we  had  n't  had  him  to  help." 


142  ELSIE    YACHTING 

"  Yes  ;  it  does  seem  very  doubtful,"  her  father 
replied.  "As  Grandma  Elsie  has  said,  God 
seems  to  have  raised  up  and  prepared  him  for 
that  very  work." 

"  And  how  soon  after  that  was  the  war  really 
over,  Papa  ?  " 

"  The  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  in  Paris 
on  the  20th  of  January,  1783,  as  I  remarked  a 
moment  since ;  but  as  it  took  a  long  while  in 
those  days  for  people  and  news  to  cross  the 
ocean,  it  was  not  till  the  17th  of  the  follow 
ing  April  that  Washington  received  the  pro 
clamation  of  Congress  for  the  cessation  of 
hostilities.  Then  on  the  19th  —  which,  as  you 
may  remember,  was  the  eighth  anniversary  of 
the  battle  of  Lexington,  the  opening  conflict  of 
the  war  —  the  cessation  was  proclaimed  at  the 
head  of  every  regiment." 

"  What  joyful  news  it  must  have  been  to 
the  poor,  weary  soldiers!"  said  Violet.  "I 
trust  their  hearts  were  full  of  gratitude  to  God, 
who  had  prospered  the  right  in  spite  of  the 
fearful  odds  against  those  who  were  battling 
for  it." 

"  Yes,"  returned  her  husband  ;  "  and  no  heart 
could  have  been  more  thankful  than  that  of  the 
commander-in-chief ,  who  said  in  the  general  or 
ders,  '  The  chaplains  of  the  several  brigades  will 
render  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  all  His  mer 
cies,  particularly  for  His  overruling  the  wrath  of 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  143 

man  to  His  own  glory,  and  causing  the  rage  of 
war  to  cease  among  the  nations.' " 

"  What  a  good,  good  Christian  man  Wasb^ 
ington  was,  Papa  I  "  exclaimed  Gracie. 

"  And  yet  he  had  enemies  ;  and  there  are  still 
some  among  his  own  countrymen  who  are  far 
from  appreciating  him,  —  can  even  speak  evil  of 
him.  But  even  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  had  ene 
mies  and  detractors  —  bitter  and  implacable  foes 
—  among  his  own  countrymen  ;  and  '  the  servant 
is  not  greater  than  his  Lord,'  "  was  the  Captain's 
reply. 

44  Yes,  Papa,  I  remember  that  Washington 
had  enemies,  —  Gates  for  one,  and  that  infamous 
Conway  for  another,"  said  Max.  "  How  glad  I 
was  to  read  of  the  Continental  Congress  accepting 
the  resignation  he  offered  in  a  fit  of  anger,  so 
that  he  had  to  leave  the  army  for  good,  though 
he  did  n't  want  to  !  " 

"  I  think  it  was  for  good,  Max,"  remarked 
Mr.  Keith,  with  a  slightly  amused  smile,  —  "  for 
the  good  of  the  country,  though  perhaps  not  for 
his  own.  Conway  was  a  man  America  was  well 
rid  of ;  and  the  same  may  be  as  truly  said  of 
Charles  Lee.  What  would  have  become  of  our 
liberties  had  that  infamous  cabal  succeeded  in 
getting  the  command  taken  from  Washington  and 
given  to  any  one  of  themselves  !  " 


144>  ELSIE  YACHTING 


CHAPTER  X. 

EVELYN  LELAND  was  the  only  one  of  the  party 
on  the  "  Dolphin  "  who  had  never  seen  Boston  ; 
but  to  all  the  young  people  entering  the  city 
from  the  sea  was  a  new  experience,  and  as  the 
vessel  neared  the  harbour  they  gazed  about 
them  with  great  interest,  while  the  Captain 
pointed  out  and  named  the  forts  and  the  island* 
as  they  came  into  view. 

"  Yonder  is  Boston  Light,"  he  said,  "  two 
miles  east  of  Fort  Warren,  — on  George's  Island, 
which  I  will  point  out  presently ;  it  is  a  revolving 
light,  ninety-two  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
And  yonder  is  Spit  or  Bug  Light ;  it  is  only  thirty- 
five  feet  high,  and  stands  upon  iron  pillars  fixed 
in  the  rock.  They  show  a  red  fixed  light  there 
which  can  be  seen  at  the  distance  of  seven  miles. 

"  Then  there  is  Long  Island  Light,  named  from 
the  island  on  which  it  stands.  The  tower  is  only 
twenty-two  feet  above  the  ground,  but  eighty 
feet  above  the  sea. 

"  Yonder,"  again  pointing  with  his  finger,  "  is 
Fort  Independence  (called  in  Revolutionary  times 
Castle  William)  just  at  the  entrance  of  the  main 
channel;  and  opposite  it  is  Fort  Winthrop. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  145 

And  yonder  is  George's  Island  with  its  fortifica 
tion,  —  Fort  Warren." 

"  And  this  was  the  harbour  where  the  Boston 
Tea-party  was  held  !  "  remarked  Evelyn,  in  a  half- 
musing  tone.  "  What  an  exciting  time  that 
must  have  been !  I  think  it  was  grand  in  the 
people  to  give  up  the  tea  they  so  enjoyed  drink 
ing,  rather  than  submit  to  '  taxation  without 
representation.' " 

"  Which  all  women  possessed  of  landed  property 
do  to  this  day,"  returned  Rosie,  mischievously. 

Eva  laughed.  "Oh,  well,"  she  said,  "you 
know  American  women  can  influence  the  voters 
to  whom  they  are  related,  —  their  brothers,  hus 
bands,  and  sons." 

"  If  they  have  any,  and  they  happen  to  be 
particularly  tractable,"  laughed  Rosie.  "  But 
how  about  poor  fatherless  and  brotherless  single 
women  ?  The  men  may  vote  as  heavy  taxes 
upon  their  property  as  they  please,  while  they 
can't  lift  a  finger  to  prevent  it,  or  say  a  word 
as  to  what  is  to  be  done  with  the  money  taken 
from  their  purses  without  their  consent." 

"  Why,  Rosie,  are  you  turning  into  a  woman's 
lights  woman?"  queried  Max,  laughing. 

"  I  don't  know,  Maxie  ;  those  ideas  just  hap 
pened  to  suggest  themselves,"  she  answered. 
*'  I  '11  take  time  to  think  it  all  out  one  of  these 
days,  though ;  and  I  '11  not  promise  not  to  turn 
into  an  advocate  of  women's  right  to  have  some 
10 


146  ELSIE   YACHTING 

say  about  the  taxing  of  their  own  property.  I 
see  no  reason  why  a  man's  rights  in  that  direction 
should  be  considered  superior  to  a  woman's." 

"  No ;  nor  I  either,"  Max  said.  "  And  I  'm  as 
willing  as  possible  that  American  women  should 
have  all  their  rights ;  but  I  should  n't  like  to  let 
ignorant  women  —  foreign  or  coloured  ones  — 
vote." 

"  Yes,  that 's  the  trouble,"  laughed  Rosie  ;  "  I 
should  n't  like  that  either.  But  I  can't  see  that 
it 's  any  better  to  let  foreign  men  who  are  too 
ignorant  to  understand  much  or  anything  about 
our  institutions,  have  a  vote.  I  must  say  it 
strikes  me  as  exceedingly  insulting  to  educated, 
intelligent  ladies,  who  are  native  Americans,  to 
refuse  a  vote  to  them,  and  at  the  same  time  give 
it  to  such  foreign-born  men,  or  to  male  natives 
who  know  nothing,  can't  read  or  write,  and  have 
no  property  at  all." 

"Coloured  men,  for  instance?"  queried  Max. 

"Yes,  coloured  or  white;  it's  the  education 
I  'm  concerned  about,  not  the  colour.  Mamma, 
do  not  you  agree  with  me?" 

"Yes,  I  do,"  Mrs.  Travilla  answered.  "I 
have  no  desire  to  vote  myself ;  but  I  think  only 
native-born  citizens,  or  those  who  have  been 
twenty-one  years  in  the  country,  should  have  a 
vote,  and  not  even  they  unless  able  to  read  and 
write,  capable  of  understanding  our  form  of  gov 
ernment,  and  possessed  of  some  little  property,  — 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  14T 

that  last  in  order  that  they  may  appreciate  more 
fully  the  burdens  of  taxation,  and  be  less  ready 
to  make  them  heavier  than  need  be." 

"Papa,"  asked  Grade,  "where  abouts  were 
the  tea  ships  when  the  folks  went  on  board  and 
threw  the  tea  into  the  water?" 

"They  were  moored  at  Griffin's  Wharf,"  he 
replied;  "I  can  point  it  out  to  you  directly." 

"What  is  it,  Papa,  Grade's  talking  about? 
A  story?"  queried  little  Elsie.  "Please,  Papa, 
tell  it  to  us." 

"I'm  afraid  you  would  hardly  understand, 
Papa's  darling,"  the  Captain  said,  stroking  the 
soft,  shining,  golden  curls  as  he  spoke,  and 
smiling  down  into  the  bright,  eager  little  face. 

"  I  think  I  should,  Papa.  Was  n't  it  some 
thing  'bout  a  tea-party?"  she  asked  coaxingly. 

"  Yes,  Papa,  please  do  tell  the  story ;  we  'd  all 
like  to  hear  it  over  again  now  when  we  're  just 
at  the  place  where  it  happened,"  added  Gracie. 

"  Well,  my  darlings,  to  please  you,"  he  said ; 
"  also  because  I  want  you  to  be  thoroughly 
grounded  in  the  history  of  your  own  country. 

*'  You  must  remember  that  these  States,  —  or 
rather  the  original  thirteen,  there  were  only  so 
many  at  that  time,  —  were  then  called  colonies, 
and  were  ruled  by  England.  The  English  Gov 
ernment  claimed  the  right  to  tax  the  colonies  just 
as  they  pleased.  That  right  the  people  of  the 
colonies  denied. 


148  ELSIE   YACHTING 

11  They  were  not  allowed  to  send  any  members 
to  Parliament  to  help  decide  who  in  America 
should  be  taxed  and  how  much ;  so  they  deter 
mined  that  rather  than  pay  a  tax  put  upon  the 
article  without  their  knowledge  and  consent, 
they  would  do  without  tea. 

"  Then  the  English  Government  tried  to  force 
it  on  them  ;  and  these  ships  came  into  their  har 
bour  loaded  with  the  tea,  which  they  intended 
to  land. 

"  One  of  those  tea-laden  ships,  called  the 
'Dartmouth,' — Captain  Hall  in  command, — 
came  to  anchor  yonder,  near  the  Castle,  as  it 
was  then  called.  It  was  on  Sunday  the  '  Dart 
mouth  '  came  in ;  and  as  you  may  suppose, 
the  signt  of  her  caused  a  great  excitement  in 
Boston. 

"  Early  on  Monday  morning  a  placard  was 
posted  all  over  the  town.  I  committed  it  to 
memory  when  a  school-boy.  It  said :  — 

'"Friends!  Brethren!  Countrymen!  That  worst 
of  plagues,  the  detested  tea  shipped  for  this  port  by 
the  East  India  Company,  is  now  arrived  in  the  harbor ; 
the  Hour  of  Destruction,  or  manly  opposition  to  the 
Machinations  of  Tyranny,  stares  you  in  the  face  ; 
every  Friend  to  his  Country,  to  himself,  and  to  Pos 
terity,  is  now  called  upon  to  meet  at  Faneuil  Hall,  at 
nine  o'clock  This  Day  (at  which  time  the  bells  will  ring), 
to  make  united  and  successful  resistance  to  this  last^ 
worst,  and  most  destructive  measure  of  administration.' 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  149 

**  That  was  the  handbill ;  its  date  was  Novem 
ber  29,  1773." 

"  Was  that  the  Vite  to  the  tea-party?  "  asked 
little  Elsie. 

"  Not  to  what  proved  to  be  the  principal  one," 
he  answered. 

*'  In  response  to  the  call  they  met  that  day  at 
Faneuil  Hall,  but  the  excitement  was  so  great 
and  brought  so  many  people  together  that  they 
adjourned  to  the  Old  South  Meeting-house  which 
was  larger. 

"  At  that  meeting  it  was  resolved  that  the  tea 
should  not  be  landed,  that  no  duty  should  be  paid 
on  it,  and  that  it  should  be  sent  back  in  the  same 
vessel  it  had  come  in ;  also  they  notified  the 
owner  and  the  commander  of  the  vessel  that 
to  land  and  enter  the  tea  was  at  their  own  peril, 
ordered  the  ship  to  be  moored  at  Griffin's 
Wharf,  and  appointed  a  guard  of  twenty-five 
men  to  watch  her. 

"  At  the  meeting  a  letter  was  received  from 
the  consignees  offering  to  store  the  tea  till  they 
could  hear  from  England ;  but  the  people  werfi 
determined  not  to  allow  it  to  be  landed,  so  re 
jected  the  offer  with  scorn. 

"  Then  the  sheriff  read  a  proclamation  from 
the  governor  ordering  them  to  disperse ;  but  it 
was  received  with  hisses,  and  they  went  on  with 
the  business  that  had  called  them  together. 

"  They  passed  a  resolution  ordering  the  vessels 


150  ELSIE   YACHTING 

of  Captains  Coffin  and  Bruce,  which  were  hourly 
expected  to  arrive  with  their  loads  of  tea,  to  be 
moored  at  Griffin's  Wharf." 

"Did  they  come,  Papa?  and  did  the  men 
watch  all  the  ships  that  had  tea  ? "  asked  Elsie, 
who  was  listening  with  a  look  of  interest  and  in 
telligence  that  seemed  to  say  she  understood  a 
great  deal,  if  not  all  her  father  had  been 
saying. 

"  Yes  ;  and  about  two  weeks  afterward 
another  meeting  was  held  in  the  Old  South 
Church,  when  it  was  resolved  that  Mr.  Roch 
must  immediately  apply  for  a  clearance  for  his 
ship  and  send  her  out  to  sea  again.  But  the 
governor  had  already  taken  measures  to  pre 
vent  him  from  doing  that,  ordering  Admiral 
Montague  to  fit  out  two  armed  vessels  and  station 
them  at  the  entrance  to  the  harbour,  and  Colonel 
Leslie,  who  was  in  command  of  the  Castle,  not  to 
allow  any  vessel  to  pass  out  under  the  guns  of 
the  fortress,  unless  she  could  show  a  permission 
signed  by  himself." 

"  I  should  think,"  remarked  Max,  "  that  Mr. 
Eoch  and  Captain  Hall  must  have  been  quite 
puzzled  to  know  how  to  act  to  suit  all  parties." 

"  What  happened  next,  Papa?"  asked  Gracie. 

"Two  days  later  there  was  another  meeting  in 
the  Old  South,  —  the  largest  meeting  that  had 
then  ever  been  known  in  Boston ;  for  the  people 
were  greatly  excited. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  151 

"  Several  persons  made  addresses,  but  Josiah 
Quincy  was  the  principal  speaker.  He  ad 
vised  the  people  to  weigh  and  consider  before 
they  took  measures  that  would  bring  on  a  try 
ing  and  terrible  struggle  such  as  had  never  been 
seen  in  this  country." 

"  Why,  Papa,"  exclaimed  Lulu,  "  I  thought 
Mr.  Quincy  was  one  of  the  patriots ! " 

"So  he  was,  my  child ;  but  he  wanted  the 
people  to  look  before  they  leaped. 

' '  When  he  had  finished  his  speech  the  question 
was  put,  '  Will  you  abide  by  your  former  resolu 
tions  with  respect  to  not  suffering  the  tea  to  be 
landed?'" 

"  And  what  did  they  say  ?  "  asked  Gracie. 

"  That  they  would ;  the  whole  vast  assembly 
speaking  as  with  one  voice." 

"  I  hope  Mr.  Roch  was  there  to  hear  them," 
said  Lulu. 

"  No,"  said  her  father.  "  The  governor 
was  at  his  country-house,  a  few  miles  out  of 
Boston,  and  Mr.  Roch  had  been  sent  to  him 
to  ask  a  permit  for  his  vessel  to  leave  the 
harbour. 

"  He  returned  late  in  the  afternoon,  before 
the  meeting  at  the  Old  South  had  broken  up, 
and  reported  to  them  that  the  governor  refused 
a  permit  until  a  clearance  should  be  shown  him ; 
and  the  collector  refused  that  until  the  tea  should 
be  landed." 


152  ELSIE    YACHTING 

44  What  a  fuss  about  nothing !  "  exclaimed 
little  Elsie,  with  a  look  of  disgust. 

"  Oh,  no,"  her  father  said,  stroking  her  hair 
as  she  leaned  upon  his  knee ;  "  some  day  when 
my  little  girl  is  older  and  wiser,  she  will  under* 
stand  that  it  was  very  far  from  being  about 
nothing. 

"  The  people  were  very  much  excited.  It  was 
beginning  to  grow  dark  in  the  old  church  and 
somebody  called  for  candles ;  but  just  then 
somebody  in  the  gallery  showed  himself  dis 
guised  like  a  Mohawk  Indian,  raised  the  Indian 
war-whoop,  and  was  answered  in  the  same  fashion 
by  some  one  outside  the  building,  — for  the 
throng  a  good  deal  more  than  filled  the  church ; 
then  another  voice  in  the  gallery  shouted, 
4  Boston  harbour  a  teapot  to-night !  Hurrah  for 
Griffin's  Wharf ! ' 

"At  that  there  was  an  instant  motion  to 
adjourn,  and  the  people  crowded  into  the  streets. 

44  It  was  a  clear,  moonlight  evening,  still  quite 
early,  and  the  British  squadron  not  more  than  a 
mile  away ;  British  troops  were  near  too,  but 
neither  interfered  with  what  was  going  on. 

44  It  is  probable  that  everything  had  been  ar 
ranged  beforehand;  and  seeing  several  persons 
disguised  as  Indians  going  toward  Griffin's 
Wharf,  the  people  hurried  thither.  Some  fifteen 
or  twenty  were  so  disguised,  but  about  sixty 
boarded  the  vessels  in  the  first  place ;  and  it  is 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  153 

said  that  as  many  as  a  hundred  and  forty  were 
engaged  in  the  work  before  it  was  finished. 

"  A  man  named  Lendall  Pitts  acted  as  leader ; 
and  under  his  direction  the  *  Dartmouth '  was 
boarded  first,  the  hatches  were  taken  up,  and  her 
cargo  of  one  hundred  and  fourteen  chests  of  tea 
brought  on  deck,  where  the  boxes  were  broken 
open  and  the  tea  was  thrown  into  the  water. 

"Then  the  other  two  vessels  were  boarded 
and  their  cargoes  of  tea  also  thrown  into  the 
harbour." 

"  And  that's  what  is  called  the  'Boston  Tea 
Party, ' "  remarked  Max  with  satisfaction.  "  I  'd 
wish  I  'd  been  there  to  help,  only  that  I  'd  rather 
be  here  now." 

"That's  just  the  way  I  feel  about  it,"  said 
Walter. 

"  You  may  be  thankful,  my  dear  boys,  that 
you  live  in  these  days,"  remarked  Grandma 
Elsie,  smiling  kindly  upon  them.  "War  times 
are  more  interesting  to  tell  about,  but  far  harder 
to  live  in.  Our  hearts  may  well  be  filled  with 
thankfulness  to  God  for  the  success  of  our 
fathers  in  securing  the  blessings  of  liberty  for 
not  themselves  only,  but  for  us  also.  We  as 
suredly  have  more  to  be  thankful  for  than  any 
other  nation,  and  ought  therefore  to  be  better 
and  more  earnest  Christians,  doing  all  we  possi 
bly  can  to  spread  abroad  through  all  the  earth 
the  glad  news  of  salvation  by  Christ,  and  to  help 


154  ELSIE   YACHTING 

the  down-trodden  and  oppressed  to  share  with 
us  the  inestimable  blessings  of  freedom, — life, 
liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,  as  our 
Declaration  of  Independence  has  it." 

But  the  "  Dolphin  "  was  fast  approaching  the 
city,  and  there  was  so  much  to  look  at  and  talk 
about,  relating  to  the  present,  that  for  a  time 
the  past  was  well-nigh  forgotten,  except  when 
the  Captain  pointed  out  as  nearly  as  he  could, 
the  precise  spot  where  the  never-to-be-forgotten 
"  tea  party  "  had  been  held. 

When  he  had  done  so,  Max  broke  out  into  a 
song  to  the  tune  of  "  Yankee  Doodle,"  the  other 
young  folks  joining  in  with  a  will  on  the 
chorus. 

"  Once  on  a  time  old  Johnny  Bull  flew  in  a  raging 

fury, 
And  swore  that  Jonathan  should  have  no  trial,  sir, 

by  jury; 
That  no  elections  should  be  held  across  the   briny 

waters ; 
And  now  said  he,  '  I  '11  tax  the  Tea  of  all  his  sons 

and  daughters.' 
Then  down  he  sate  in  burly  state,  and  blustered  like 

a  grandee, 
And  in  derision  made  a  tune  called  '  Yankee  Doodle 

Dandy.' 
Yankee  doodle,  —  these  are  facts,  —  Yankee  doodle 

dandy ! 

My  son  of  wax,  your  tea  I  '11  tax  ;  you  —  Yankee 
doodle  dandy! 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  155 

"John  sent  the  tea  from  o'er  the  sea,  with  heavy 

duties  rated; 

But  whether  hyson  or  bohea  I  never  heard  it  stated. 
Then  Jonathan  to  pout  began,  —  he  laid  a  strong 

embargo,  — 
'  I  '11  drink  no  Tea  by  Jove ! '  so  he  threw  overboard 

the  cargo. 
Then  Johnny  sent  a  regiment,  big  words  and  looks 

to  bandy, 
Whose  martial  band,   when  near  the  land  played 

'Yankee  Doodle  Dandy.' 
Yankee  doodle,  —  keep  it  up,  —  Yankee  doodle 

dandy ! 

I  '11  poison  with  a  tax  your  cup ;  you  —  Yankee 
doodle  daudyl 


**  A  long  war  then  they  had,  in  which  John  was  at  last 

defeated ; 
And  '  Yankee  Doodle '  was  the  march  to  which  his 

troops  retreated. 
Cute  Jonathan,  to  see  them  fly,  could  not  restrain 

his  laughter; 
*  That  time,'  said  he, '  suits  to  a  T.    I  '11  sing  it  ever 

after.' 
Old  Johnny's  face,  to  his  disgrace,  was  flushed  with 

beer  and  brandy, 
E'en  while  he  swore  to  sing  no  more  this  *  Yankee 

Doodle  Dandy.' 
Yankee  doodle,  —  ho,  ha,  he,  —  Yankee  doodle 

dandy ! 

We  kept  the  tune,  but  not  the  tea ;  Yankee  doodle 
dandy! 


156  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"I've  told  you  now  the  origin  of  this  most  lively 

ditty, 
Which  Johnny  Bull  dislikes  as  'dull  and  stupid* — 

what  a  pity! 
With  '  Hail  Columbia  '  it  is  sung,  in  chorus  full  and 

hearty. 
On  land  and  main  we  breathe  the  strain  John  made 

for  his  '  tea  party ; ' 
No  matter  how  we  rhyme  the  words,  the  music 

speaks  them  handy, 
And  where 's  the  fair  can't  sing  the  air  of  '  Yankee 

Doodle  Dandy'? 
Yankee  doodle,  firm  and  true,  —  Yankee  doodle 

dandy  t 
Yankee  doodle,  doodle  do,  Yankee  doodle  dandy  I " 


W1TR  THE  RAYMONDS.  157 


CHAPTER  XI. 

A  FEW  days  were  spent  in  Boston,  principally 
in  visiting  places  of  historical  interest,  —  Christ 
Church  on  Salem  Street,  where  as  the  Captain 
told  the  children,  Paul  Revere's  signal  wa8 
hung  out  from  the  steeple,  in  the  Revolutionary 
War,  by  Captain  Pulling,  a  Boston  merchant; 
and  the  Old  South  Church,  about  which  they  had 
already  heard  so  much. 

"  In  1775,"  the  Captain  said,  as  the  little 
group  stood  gazing  about  it  in  deep  interest, 
"  the  British  soldiers  desecrated  this  place  by 
using  it  for  cavalry  drill,  having  first  torn  out 
the  galleries  and  covered  the  floor  with  earth. 
It  is  now  no  longer  used  as  a  church,  but,  as  you 
see,  is  a  historical  museum.  Now  we  will  go  to 
Faneuil  Hall,  — '  the  cradle  of  liberty.'  " 

They  did  so ;  and  next  visited  the  Old  State 
House. 

As  the  Captain  told  them,  the  Boston  Mas 
sacre  occurred  in  the  street  before  it ;  and  there, 
during  the  excitement  in  regard  to  the  Stamp 
Act,  the  stamped  clearances  were  burned  by  the 
mob.  From  the  balcony  the  Declaration  of  In- 


158  ELSIE   YACHTING 

dependence  was  read.  Many  town-meetings 
were  held  there,  and  many  patriotic  speeches 
made,  —  among  them  those  of  Otis,  who  foretold 
probable  war,  and  urged  resistance  to  tyranny 
"even  unto  blood"  if  necessary. 

"  Who  was  Otis,  Papa?"  asked  Lulu. 

"  A  Boston  lawyer  of  that  time,  a  patriot,  —  as 
evidenced  by  even  the  few  words  of  his  I  have 
just  quoted.  He  was  advocate-general  with  a 
good  salary  at  the  time  when  the  revenue  officers 
in  Boston  took  out  search-warrants  to  look  for 
smuggled  goods,  and  called  upon  him  to  defend 
their  cause ;  but  he  at  once  resigned  his  office 
and  took  the  other  side,  —  that  of  the  merchants 
of  Boston,  who  were  protesting  against  the  writs. 
They  offered  him  a  large  fee,  but  he  refused  it, 
Baying,  '  In  such  a  cause  I  despise  all  fees.' " 

"  That  case  was  tried  in  this  old  State  House ; 
and  Otis  made  a  grand  speech  of  such  length  that 
it  took  him  five  hours  to  deliver  it." 

"  What  was  it  all  about,  Papa?  "  asked  Gracie. 

"  It  was  on  the  question  whether  Americans 
were  bound  to  obey  laws  which  they  had  no  share 
in  making,  and  all  the  arguments  in  the  wonder 
ful  speech  answered  doggedly,  '  No.' 

"  John  Adams,  who  heard  the  speech,  after 
ward  said  that  on  that  day  '  the  child  Independ 
ence  was  born ; '  and  no  doubt  the  argument 
assisted  the  popular  leaders  very  much  in  fur 
nishing  them  with  weapons  for  their  work.** 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  159 

"Weapons,  Papa?"  Grace  asked  with  a  puz 
zled  look. 

"Yes,  daughter;  arguments  with  which  to 
show  the  people  what  the  English  Government 
was  doing  to  take  away  our  liberties. 

"  Otis  afterward,  when  Governor  Bernard 
called  upon  the  General  Assembly  of  Massa 
chusetts  to  rescind  the  resolution  it  had  passed 
against  the  right  of  the  English  Parliament  to 
tax  the  colonies  without  their  consent,  —  which 
they  boldly  disregarded,  —  made  a  powerful 
speech  in  which  he  said,  '"When  Lord  Hills- 
borough  knows  that  we  will  not  rescind  our  acts, 
he  should  apply  to  Parliament  to  rescind  theirs. 
Let  Britons  rescind  their  measures,  or  they  are 
lost  forever !'  He  went  on  speaking  in  that  way 
for  nearly  an  hour,  till  even  the  Sons  of  Liberty 
began  to  tremble  lest  he  should  go  too  far,  and 
be  charged  with  treason." 

"And  did  he  fight  for  the  country,  Papa?" 
asked  Gracie. 

"  No,  poor  fellow ! "  replied  the  Captain, 
with  a  slight  sigh ;  "  before  the  war  had  fairly 
begun  he  became  insane  from  injuries  inflicted 
by  one  Robinson,  a  commissioner  of  customs, 
who,  with  several  army  or  navy  officers  set  upon, 
beat,  and  otherwise  injured  him,  inflicting  a 
sword-cut  on  his  head  from  which  he  never 
recovered." 

"  And  he  did  n't  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing 


160  ELSIE   YACHTING 

his  country  free  and  separated  from  England?" 
Lulu  said,  half  inquiringly. 

"  No  ;  he  was  killed  by  a  stroke  of  lightning 
in  1778,  which  you  will  remember  was  several 
years  before  the  war  was  over." 

Our  little  party  next  visited  Lexington  and 
Concord. 

"  How  far  must  we  travel  to  get  there, 
Papa?"  queried  Gracie,  as  they  took  their 
seats  in  the  car. 

"  Only  a  few  miles  to  Lexington,  and  a  little 
farther  to  reach  Concord,"  he  answered. 

"  That  won't  seem  very  far  by  rail,"  remarked 
Max  ;  "  but  it  must  have  seemed  quite  a  distance 
to  the  soldiers  who  marched  there  in  Revolu 
tionary  times." 

"  I  find  we  are  early,"  the  Captain  said,  look 
ing  at  his  watch ;  "  and  as  we  have  the  car  nearly 
to  ourselves,  it  may  be  well  for  us  to  talk  over 
what  occurred  in  1775  at  the  places  we  are  about 
to  visit.  I  think  it  will  make  the  visit  more  in- 
teresting  to  you." 

"  Oh,  do  tell  us  the  whole  story,  Papa," 
requested  Gracie,  with  a  look  of  pleased 
anticipation. 

The  others  all  joined  in  her  petition,  and  th» 
Captain  good-naturedly  complied. 

"  Matters  had  been  growing  worse  and  worse 
between  the  British  Government  and  the  col 
onies,"  he  said,  "till  a  struggle  seemed  almost 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  161 

inevitable.  General  Gage  discovered  that  the 
patriots  were  privately  conveying  arms  out  of 
Boston,  that  some  brass  cannon  and  field-pieces 
were  at  Salem ;  and  on  a  Sunday  in  February, 
1775,  he  sent  some  troops  to  seize  them. 

"  An  express  from  Marblehead  arrived  at  Salem 
while  the  people  were  in  church,  with  the  news  that 
British  troops  were  landing  from  a  transport  at 
that  place,  and  were  about  to  march  to  Salem. 

"  The  congregations  were  at  once  dismissed, 
and,  led  by  Colonel  Pickering,  stopped  the  Brit 
ish  at  a  drawbridge.  Pickering  succeeded  in 
effecting  a  compromise,  and  the  troops  marched 
back  again  to  Marblehead  without  having  done 
the  errand  upon  which  they  had  been  sent. 

"  Let  me  see,"  continued  the  Captain,  medita 
tively  ;  "  I  think  I  oan  recall  some  lines  by  Trum- 
bull,  referring  to  that  incident :  — 

" '  Through  Salem  straight,  without  delay, 
The  bold  battalion  took  its  way ; 
Marched  o  'er  a  bridge,  in  open  sight 
Of  several  Yankees  arm'd  for  fight ; 
Then,  without  loss  of  time  or  men, 
Veer'd  round  for  Boston  back  again, 
And  found  so  well  their  prospects  thrive, 
That  every  soul  got  back  alive.' 

"  It  was  some  two  months  after  this  that  the 
battles  of  Lexington  and   Concord  took  place. 
On  April  18,  the  patriots  learned  that  the  next 
11 


162  ELSIE   YACHTING 

day  British  troops  were  to  visit  Cot>?ord  faf 
the  purpose  of  destroying  some  military  store© 
there,  and  passing  through  Lexington  seize  the 
persons  of  John  Hancock  and  Samuel  Adams 
who  were  both  in  that  town  at  the  house  01 
the  Eev.  Jonas  Clark. 

"  Gage  had  tried  to  keep  all  this  a  profound  se 
cret,  but  somehow  the  patriots  had  learned  what 
he  was  attempting,  and  were  making  their  pre 
parations  accordingly.  Warren  and  his  friends 
had  gone,  Paul  Revere  and  William  Dawes  had 
just  rowed  across  the  river  to  Charlestown,  tak 
ing  a  message  from  Warren  to  Adams  and  Han 
cock.  They  were  very  near  being  captured  by  the 
guard  at  Charlestown,  but  escaped,  and  reached 
Lexington  a  little  after  midnight. 

"  They  went  at  once  to  Mr.  Clark's  house,  but 
found  a  guard  of  eight  minute-men  placed  about 
it  to  protect  Adams  and  Hancock. 

"  These  refused  to  let  Revere  and  Dawes  into 
the  house,  as  orders  had  been  given  not  to  allow 
the  inmates  to  be  disturbed  by  noise. 

u  *  Noise!'  exclaimed  Revere,  'you '11  have 
noise  enough  before  long;  the  regulars  are 
coming ! ' 

"  They  were  quickly  admitted  then,  roused 
Hancock  and  Adams,  and  knowing  how  un 
likely  to  escape  being  taken  prisoners  they  were, 
should  they  remain  in  Lexington,  persuaded 
them  to  retire  to  Woburn. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  163 

"  Then  Revere  and  Dawes  pushed  on  to  Con 
cord  to  give  the  alarm  there. 

"  By  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  a  hundred  and 
thirty  of  the  Lexington  militia  were  collected  at 
the  meeting-house  upon  the  green.  The  roll  was 
called ;  then,  as  the  early  morning  air  was  very 
chilly,  they  were  dismissed  with  orders  to  remain 
within  drum-beat." 

"  Papa,  the  British  marched  very  quietly, 
did  n't  they  ?  "  asked  Max. 

"  Yes,  in  perfect  silence  ;  hoping  and  believing 
that  none  of  the  Americans  were  aware  of  their 
movements." 

"  Ha,  ha,  how  mistaken  they  were  !  "  laughed 
Max. 

"  Yes,"  his  father  said,  "there  were  vigilant 
eyes  upon  them.  As  they  passed  through  West 
Cambridge  they  were  seen  by  Lee,  Gerry,  and 
Orne,  —  members  of  the  Provincial  Congress,  — 
and  as  I  have  told  you,  others  learned  the  secret 
also. 

"  As  the  British  neared  Lexington  their  ears 
were  greeted  by  the  sound  of  bells  and  guns, 
warning  them  that  their  expedition  was  known." 
,  "I  s'pose  they  did  n't  like  that,"  observed 
Gracie,  "  but  what  did  they  do  about  it, 
Papa?" 

"  Colonel  Smith  dispatched  six  companies 
of  troops  under  Major  Pitcairn,  with  orders  to 
press  on  to  Concord  and  secure  the  two  bridges. 


164  ELSIE   YACHTING 

He  also  sent  a  messenger  to  Boston  for  rein* 
forcements. 

"  Pitcairn  hastened  on  toward  Lexington,  oap- 
turing  several  persons  on  his  way.  One  of  them 
—  a  man  named  Bowman  —  escaped,  hurried  into 
Lexington  on  horseback,  and  notified  Captain 
Parker,  commander  of  the  minute-men,  that  the 
enemy  was  approaching." 

"  And  did  they  make  a  great  fuss  and  wake  up 
all  the  people,  Papa?  "  asked  Gracie. 

"  They  rang  the  bells,  fired  guns,  and  beat  the 
drum,  so  that  doubtless  everybody  was  soon 
aroused. 

"  It  was  between  four  and  five  in  the  morning. 
About  one  hundred  of  the  militia  were  quickly 
collected  on  the  green  ;  but  being  raw  troops,  and 
uncertain  how  large  a  force  was  coming  against 
them,  they  were  in  some  confusion. 

"  And  indeed  it  was  an  overwhelming  force 
they  presently  saw  marching  toward  them,  their 
scarlet  uniforms  gleaming  out  through  the  early 
morning  mist. 

"  The  British  halted  within  a  few  rods  of  the 
meeting-house  and  loaded  their  pieces.  But  the 
Americans  stood  firm  and  undismayed. 

"  Their  orders  were  not  to  pull  a  trigger  till  fired 
upon  by  the  enemy,  and  for  a  moment  there  was 
silence  and  hesitation  on  both  sides ;  neither 
Americans  nor  British  seemed  willing  to  become 
the  aggressors. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  165 

"  But  it  was  only  for  a  moment ;  Pitcairn  and 
other  officers  galloped  forward,  waving  their 
swords  over  their  heads,  and  followed  by  their 
troops  in  double-quick  time. 

"  '  Disperse  you  villains  ! '  they  shouted,  *  lay 
down  your  arms  and  disperse.  Why  don't  you 
disperse,  you  rebels?  Disperse!'  And  as  the 
patriots  did  not  instantly  obey  the  command, 
Pitcairn  wheeled  his  horse,  waved  his  sword,  and 
gave  orders  to  press  forward  and  surround  the 
militia. 

"  At  that  instant  some  random  shots  were  fired 
by  the  British,  and  promptly  returned  by  the 
Americans." 

"  Oh,  Papa,  was  anybody  killed  ?  "  asked 
Gracie. 

"  Not  by  those  shots,"  replied  her  father ; 
"  but  the  next  minute  Pitcairn  drew  a  pistol 
and  discharged  it,  at  the  same  time  shouting 
«  Fire  ! ' 

"  His  troops  instantly  obeyed  that  order. 
Four  of  the  patriots  were  killed,  and  the  rest 
dispersed.  They  were  fired  upon  again  while 
retreating,  and  several  of  them  halted  and  re 
turned  the  shots,  then  concealed  themselves  be 
hind  buildings  and  stone  walls. 

"  Eight  Americans  were  killed,  three  British 
soldiers  and  Major  Pitcairn's  horse  were 
wounded." 

"  I  thought  you  said  only  four  Americans  were 


166  ELSIE   YACHTING 

shot,  Papa,"  Baid  Grade,  looking  up  inquiringly 
into  his  face. 

"  Four  by  the  first  discharge  of  musketry, 
and  as  many  more  while  trying  to  escape  over 
the  fences,"  he  answered. 

"  Did  the  British  care  for  having  killed  those 
poor  men  ?  "  she  asked,  tears  of  sympathy  shin 
ing  in  her  eyes. 

^  If  so  they  gave  no  evidence  of  it/'  her  father 
replied.  "  They  hurried  on  to  Concord  in  high 
spirits.  But  the  news  of  their  approach  had 
been  communicated,  and  a  formidable  body  of 
militia  was  waiting  to  receive  them." 

"Oh,  yes!"  said  Rosie,  "I  remember  that 
Dawes  and  Revere  had  hurried  on  to  warn  them 
after  doing  the  Lexington  people  the  same 
service." 

"  Yes,"  the  Captain  said,  "  but  on  the  way 
they  were  taken  prisoners  by  some  British  officers. 
They  had  stopped  to  tell  the  news  to  Dr.  Samuel 
Prescott,  who  escaped  over  a  wall,  they  being 
captured.  Prescott  made  his  way  to  Concord, 
reaching  there  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing,  and  gave  the  alarm.  Then  the  bells  were 
rung,  and  the  people  armed  themselves,  so  that 
before  daylight  they  were  ready  to  receive  the 
British." 

"  They  knew  what  the  British  were  after,  and 
made  haste  to  conceal  the  stores  of  powder,  shot, 
and  so  forth,  —  did  n't  they,  Papa?  "  asked  Max. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  167 

"  Yes ;  the  whole  male  population  and  some 
of  the  women  assisted  in  that  work,  and  suc 
ceeded  in  concealing  them  in  a  safe  place  in  the 
woods  before  the  arrival  of  the  British." 

"  That  was  good,"  remarked  Grade.  ".And 
didn't  the  British  get  anything  at  all,  Papa?  " 

"  Yes,  a  little.  They  knocked  off  the  trun 
nions  of  three  iron  twenty-four-pound  cannon, 
cut  down  a  liberty-pole,  set  the  Court  House 
on  fire,  and  burned  a  few  barrels  of  wooden 
trenchers  and  spoons,  and  sixteen  new  carriage- 
wheels.  Also  they  threw  five  hundred  pounds 
of  balls  into  a  mill-pond,  and  broke  open  about 
sixty  barrels  of  flour ;  but  the  people  succeeded 
in  saving  a  good  deal  of  that,  and  Mrs.  Moultou 
put  out  the  fire  in  the  Court  House  before  much 
damage  was  done." 

"But  was  there  no  fighting,  Papa?"  Gracie 
asked. 

"  There  was  fighting,"  the  Captain  answered. 
"  While  the  British  were  at  the  mischief  I  have 
been  telling  you  of,  the  American  party  was 
rapidly  increasing  by  the  coming  in  of  minute- 
men  from  the  neighbouring  towns.  They  formed 
into  line  as  fast  as  they  came.  There  were 
nearly  four  hundred  of  them. 

"  From  the  place  where  they  were  forming  they 
could  see  the  fire  the  British  had  started  in  the 
centre  of  the  town,  and  of  course  the  sight  greatly 
increased  their  excitement. 


168  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  Joseph  Hosmer,  the  adjutant,  made  a  stir 
ring  appeal,  after  a  brief  consultation  with  prom 
inent  citizens  and  members  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety,  who  were  present,  and  ready  to  take  part 
in  repelling  the  British. 

u  It  was  agreed  to  dislodge  them  from  the  North 
Bridge.  Captain  Davis  saying,  '  I  have  n't  a 
man  that's  afraid  to  go.' 

"  They  wheeled  into  marching  order,  and 
joined  by  other  companies,  pushed  forward  to 
the  bridge,  under  the  command  of  Major  John 
Buttrick,  of  Concord. 

"  The  British  guard  were  on  the  west  side  of 
ihe  river,  but  crossed  to  the  east  on  seeing"  the 
Americans  approaching,  and  began  taking  up 
the  planks  of  the  bridge. 

"  Major  Buttrick  called  to  them  to  stop,  and 
urged  his  men  on  to  try  to  save  the  bridge. 

"  The  British  formed  for  action  as  the  Amer 
icans  drew  near,  and  some  of  the  regulars 
fired,  killing  Captain  Davis,  Abner  Hosmer,  and 
wounding  another  man. 

"  Then  Buttrick  shouted,  '  Fire  fellow  soldiers ! 
for  God's  sake  fire ! '  and  instantly  they  gave 
the  British  a  full  volley. 

"  In  a  few  minutes  the  British  retreated,  and 
the  Americans  took  possession  of  the  bridge. 

' '  Their  volley  had  killed  three  British  soldiers, 
two  of  whom  were  left  on  the  ground.  The 
Americans  afterward  buried  them,  and  we  shall 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  169 

find  their  graves  only  a  few  feet  from  the 
monument." 

But  other  passengers  had  entered  the  car, 
and  the  train  was  now  in  motion. 

"  There,  that  must  do  for  the  present,"  the 
Captain  said  ;  "  the  story  will  have  to  be  finished 
after  we  leave  the  train." 

Their  first  halt  was  at  Lexington  where  they 
viewed  with  much  interest  the  ground  where  the 
skirmish  took  place,  the  monument  commemorat 
ing  the  devotion  of  those  who  fell,  and  every 
thing  to  be  found  that  had  any  connection  with 
the  events  which  have  made  the  place  famous  in 
the  annals  of  our  country. 

Evelyn  Leland  gazed  long  at  the  inscription 
on  the  monument,  then  read  aloud,  — 

"  Sacred  to  the  Liberty  and  the  Rights  of  Man 
kind!!!  The  Freedom  and  Independence  of  America 
—  sealed  and  defended  with  the  blood  of  her  sons  — 
This  Monument  is  erected  by  the  Inhabitants  of  Lex 
ington  ...  to  the  memory  of  their  fellow  citizens  .  .  . 
the  first  victims  of  the  sword  of  British  Tyranny  and 
Oppression,  on  the  morning  of  the  ever-memorable 
nineteenth  of  April,  A.  D.  1775.  The  Die  was  Cast ! ! ! 
The  blood  of  these  Martyrs  in  the  Cause  of  God  and 
their  Country  was  the  Cement  of  the  Union  of  these 
States,  then  Colonies,  and  gave  the  Spring  to  the  Spirit, 
Firmness  and  Resolution  of  their  Fellow  citizens. 
They  rose  as  one  man  to  revenge  their  Brethren's 
blood  and  at  the  point  of  the  sword  to  assert  and  de 
fend  their  native  Rights.  They  nobly  dared  to  be 


170  ELSIE   YACHTING 

Free!!!  The  contest  was  long,  bloody  and  affecting. 
Kighteous  Heaven  approved  the  Solemn  Appeal; 
Victory  crowned  their  Arms,  and  the  Peace,  Liberty 
and  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  America 
was  their  glorious  Reward.  Built  in  the  year  1799." 

"You  didn't  read  it  all,  Eva,"  said  "Walter; 
"you  skipped  the  names." 

"Yes,"  she  said,  "because  I  didn't  want  to 
take  time  to  read  it  all ;  though  I  'd  be  ever  so 
unwilling  to  rob  the  poor,  dear,  brave  fellows  of 
any  of  the  credit  that  belongs  to  them." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  171 


CHAPTER  XII. 

FROM  Lexington  our  little  party  went  on  at 
once  to  Concord.  There  they  saw  the  monu 
ment,  and  near  it  the  graves  of  the  two  British 
soldiers  of  whom  the  Captain  had  spoken  as 
having  fallen  in  the  fight. 

"  The  British  entered  Concord  in  two  divi 
sions,"  he  said ;  "  one  by  the  main  road,  the 
other  passing  over  the  hill  north  of  it.  Captain 
Beeman,  of  Petersham,  and  other  Tories  had 
given  them  information  in  regard  to  the  stores 
secreted  in  Concord,  and  Captain  Parsons  with 
six  companies  was  sent  to  destroy  them." 

"  Sent  where,  Papa?  "  asked  Lulu. 

"  To  the  house  of  Colonel  Barrett,"  replied 
her  father.  "  Captain  Lawrie,  with  three  com 
panies  was  stationed  at  the  North  Bridge,  just 
here.  The  monument  stands  upon  the  very 
spot  where  the  British  stood,  and  on  yon  plain 
across  the  river  is  where  the  American  militia 
were  when  the  fire  of  the  British  killed  Hosmer 
and  Davis. 

"  Colonel  Smith,  in  the  village,  heard  the  firing, 
and  sent  a  reinforcement  to  Lawrie's  help ;  but 
seeing  that  the  militia  were  increasing  in  numbers, 


172  ELSIE   YACHTING 

they  turned  about  and  joined  in  the  retreat. 
Then  the  party  under  Captain  Parsons,  who,  you 
will  remember,  had  gone  to  Colonel  Barrett's  to 
destroy  the  secreted  stores,  returned,  and  were 
allowed  by  the  militia  to  pass  the  bridge  unmo 
lested." 

"Why  didn't  they  attack  them,  Captain?" 
asked  Eva,  "  were  n't  they  strong  enough?  " 

~J'  Yes  ;  but  war  had  not  yet  been  declared,  and 
the  colonists  had  been  enjoined  to  act  only  on 
the  defensive  and  let  Great  Britain  be  the 
aggressor. 

"  Besides,  the  militia  at  Concord  had  not  yet 
heard  of  the  slaughter  of  their  brethren  at  Lex 
ington.  They  themselves  had  just  killed  three 
British  soldiers,  to  be  sure,  but  it  was  pure"  u 
self-defence." 

"  The  British  started  back  to  Boston  pretty 
soon  after  that,  didn't  they,  Papa?"  asked 
Lulu, 

u  Yes  ;  Colonel  Smith  thought  it  prudent,  see 
ing  how  rapidly  the  militia  were  gathering,  to  re 
turn  at  once,  and  a  little  after  twelve  o'clock 
began  his  retreat  toward  Lexington,  covering 
his  main  column  by  strong  flanking  guards. 

"  As  you  may  suppose,  the  people  had  become 
intensely  excited  by  this  time,  and  I  dare  say  very 
many  were  burning  to  avenge  the  slaughter  of 
their  comrades  They  no  longer  adhered  to  the 
cautious  counsels  given  them  at  Concord,  and 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  173 

secreting  themselves  behind  barns  and  fences, 
fired  upon  the  British  troops  as  they  passed. 
All  along  the  line  of  march  to  Lexington  the 
British  were  terribly  galled  in  this  way.  Guns 
were  fired  with  sure  aim  from  every  house,  barn, 
and  stone  wall.  As  we  noticed  in  coming  here 
the  road  between  this  town  and  Lexington  passes 
through  a  hilly  country,  as  well  calculated  as 
possible  for  such  work.  At  almost  -every  wooded 
defile  numbers  of  the  British  were  picked  off  by 
concealed  marksmen,  and  at  Hardy's  Hill  there 
was  a  severe  skirmish. 

"  There  was  no  longer  any  military  order 
among  the  Americans,  but  each  man  fought  as  he 
deemed  best.  Some  of  them  were  killed  by  the 
J>jtish  flankers  coming  suddenly  upon  them  in 
r  places  of  concealment,  but  their  numbers 
were  comparatively  small. 

"  Several  of  the  British  were  shot  near  the 
battle-ground  of  the  morning  at  Lexington,  and 
Colonel  Smith  was  badly  wounded  in  the  leg  at 
Fiske's  Hill,  near  the  town." 

"  So  they  did  n't  have  a  very  good  time  on 
their  march  back  to  Boston,"  remarked  Max. 

"  No,  very  far  from  it,"  replied  his  father. 
"  You  will  remember  they  had  been  marching 
the  night  before,  marching  and  fighting  pretty 
much  all  that  day,  and  attacked  every  now  and 
then  by  a  concealed  foe,  who  shot  down  one  after 
another ;  they  became  at  last  so  fatigued  that 


174  ELSIE  YACHTING 

they  must  have  surrendered  to  the  Americans  if 
reinforcements  had  not  reached  them. 

"  I  have  said  a  request  for  help  had  been  sent 
to  General  Gage  from  Lexington  early  in  the 
morning,  and  he  had  responded  with  about  nine 
hundred  men  under  Lord  Percy,  —  three  regi 
ments  of  infantry  and  two  divisions  of  marines. 
These  left  Boston  about  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning  and  marched  toward  Lexington. 

*'  As  they  passed  through  Roxbury  they  played 
*  Yankee  Doodle'  in  derision,  having  before  used 
it  as  a  Rogue's  March." 

"Papa,"  Gracie  asked,  "did  the  Roxbury 
people  know  about  the  fight  at  Lexington  and 
Concord?" 

"  They  had  heard  vague  rumours  of  a  fight  at 
Lexington,  and  the  marching  in  that  direction 
of  these  Boston  troops  confirmed  their  worst 
fears." 

"  What  an  excitement  the  marching  of  those 
British  troops  must  have  caused  all  along  the 
way  as  they  went !  "  exclaimed  Eva. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Captain  Raymond,  "  one  of 
their  officers  said,  '  they  [the  Americans]  seemed 
to  drop  from  the  clouds.' " 

"Percy's  brigade  met  them  about  half  a  mile 
from  Lexington.  He  formed  a  hollow  square, 
and  for  its  defence,  planted  a  cannon  on  high 
ground  near  Monroe's  tavern,  and  received  into 
his  enclosure  the  wearied  troops  of  Smith.  Some 


WITH  TEE  RAYMONDS.  175 

of  them  were  so  heated  and  worn  out  that  they 
lay  exhausted  and  panting  upon  the  ground, 
their  tongues  hanging  out  of  their  mouths,  as  a. 
dog's  does  when  he  is  tired  and  overheated. 

"  But  Percy  did  not  dare  allow  them  to  rest  long, 
for  the  militia  had  gathered  from  all  quarters, 
and  the  woods  were  swarming  with  minute-men. 
They  were  given  a  little  refreshment,  a  brief 
rest,  then  hurried  on  their  way,  committing  as 
they  went  deeds  of  ruffianism  of  which  they  had 
reason  to  be  heartily  ashamed ;  property  was  de 
stroyed,  houses  were  plundered,  and  several  in 
nocent  persons  were  murdered. 

"  Of  course  the  Americans  were  filled  with  in 
dignation  as  well  as  grief  for  the  sufferings  of 
friends  and  neighbours,  some  of  them  their  near 
kindred." 

"  Yes  ;  oh,  it  was  just  dreadful,  Papa !  "  ex 
claimed  Gracie,  her  eyes  filling  with  tears.  UI 
think  the  British  of  those  days  were  very,  very 
cruel." 

"  Very  true,"  replied  her  father ;  "  there  were 
very  many  deeds  of  blood  and  violence,  for 
which  there  was  no  excuse,  committed  by  them 
during  that  war.  Rawdon,  Tarleton,  and  even 
Cornwallis  showed  themselves  men  of  savage 
cruelty." 

"  Yes,"  exclaimed  Rosie,  "  I  perfectly  detest 
and  abhor  that  brutal  Tarleton  !  No  Indian  was 
ever  more  heartless  and  cruel  than  he  ! " 


176  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  I  think  that  is  true,"  the  Captain  said.  "  He 
treated  American  prisoners  so  unfortunate  as 
to  fall  into  his  hands,  with  most  inhuman 
cruelty ;  also  he  was  so  vain,  conceited,  and 
untruthful  that  in  a  '  History  of  the  Campaigns 
of  1780  and  1781  in  the  Southern  Provinces  of 
North  America,'  which  he  wrote  after  his  return 
to  England,  he  distorts  events  for  his  self-glori 
fication  to  such  a  degree  as  has  seldom  been 
paralleled.  Yes,  take  him  all  together  he  was, 
I  think,  one  of  the  most  despicable  characters  of 
the  Revolution." 

"  I  have  always  been  so  glad  over  his  defeat 
by  Morgan  at  the  battle  of  the  Cowpens,"  said 
Eva,  "  and  have  always  admired  the  reminders 
of  it  given  him  by  some  of  the  Southern  ladies, 
particularly  of  the  wound  on  his  hand  that  Col 
onel  Washington  gave  him  in  chasing  him  from 
that  battle-field." 

"  Yes,  I  remember,"  said  Rosie.  "  The  ladies 
were  great  admirers  of  Colonel  Washington, 
talked  a  great  deal  about  him,  and  at  least  two 
or  three  times  gave  that  vain,  boastful,  cruel 
Tarleton  a  rub  about  that  wound." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Captain,  "  those  sallies  of  wit 
were  expended  on  him  by  two  sisters,  —  daughters 
of  Colonel  Montfort,  of  Halifax  County,  North 
Carolina.  When  Cornwallis  was  there  on  his 
way  to  Virginia,  Colonel  Washington  was  the 
subject  of  conversation  one  evening ;  and  Tarle* 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  177 

ton,  nettled  doubtless  by  the  admiration  freely 
expressed  by  the  ladies,  began  talking  against 
him,  saying  that  he  was  an  illiterate  fellow, 
hardly  able  to  write  his  own  name. 

"  The  remark  was  made  in  the  presence  of 
Mrs.  Willie  Jones,  one  of  the  sisters  I  have 
spoken  of,  and  she  replied,  '  Ah,  Colonel,  you 
ought  to  know  better,  for  you  bear  on  your 
person  proof  that  he  knows  very  well  how  to 
make  his  mark.' " 

"  I  should  n't  have  liked  to  be  in  his  place," 
remarked  Max.  "  I  dare  say  he  felt  like  shoot 
ing  Mrs.  Jones  for  her  compliment." 

"  That  is  not  at  all  unlikely,"  said  his  father. 
"  It  is  said  that  when  her  sister,  Mrs.  Ashe, 
twitted  him  in  like  manner,  he  showed  his  temper 
plainly.  He  had  been  talking  again,  sarcasti 
cally  of  Colonel  Washington,  in  her  presence, 
and  finally  said  with  a  sneer,  '  I  would  be  happy 
to  see  Colonel  Washington.'  To  which  she  in 
stantly  replied,  '  If  you  had  looked  behind  you, 
Colonel  Tarleton,  at  the  battle  of  the  Cowpens, 
you  would  have  enjoyed  that  pleasure.' " 

"That  was  just  good  for  him!"  exclaimed 
Lulu.  "I  wonder  what  he  said  to  it, — if  he 
answered  her  at  all." 

"  He  was  very  angry  (for  no  doubt  the  words 

stung  him)  and  laid  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  his. 

sword,  while   he   regarded  her  with  a   frown," 

replied  the  Captain.     "  But  General  Leslie,  his 

12 


178  ELSIE   YACHTING 

superior  officer  said,  '  Say  what  you  please,  Mrs. 
Ashe ;  Colonel  Tarleton  knows  better  than  to 
insult  a  lady  in  my  presence.' " 

"Did  Tarleton  ever  insult  a  lady,  Papa?* 
asked  Gracie. 

"  I  have  read  that  he  once  insulted  an  Amer 
ican  woman,  —  one  who  was  large  and  strong,  — 
and  that  she  knocked  him  down  upon  the  floor, 
seized  him  by  the  throat,  and  choked  him  till  he 
was  black  in  the  face  ;  she  probably  would  have 
killed  him  if  some  one  had  not  come  to  his  as 
sistance  and  pulled  her  off." 

"  Surely  he  must  have  been  proud  of  that 
encounter,"  laughed  Max. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  179 


CHAPTER 


THERE  were  several  more  souvenirs  of  the 
Revolution  shown  the  young  people  by  Captain 
Raymond  that  morning,  —  among  them  Boston's 
"  Liberty  Tree,"  or  rather  the  sculptured  repre 
sentation  of  it  set  within  a  niche  on  the  front  of 
a  house,  and  exactly  over  the  spot  on  which  the 
tree  stood  before  its  destruction  by  the  British 
during  the  siege  of  Boston. 

"  It  was  under  that  tree  the  association  calling 
themselves  '  Sons  of  Liberty  '  used  to  hold  their 
meetings,"  he  said.  "  They  met  there  in  the 
summer  of  1765  when  there  was  a  great  excite 
ment  over  the  passage  of  the  Stamp  Act  by  the 
British  Parliament,  and  continued  to  do  so  until 
the  destruction  of  the  tree  by  the  British  during 
the  siege  of  Boston,  1775.  It  was  called  'Lib 
erty  Tree  '  and  the  ground  under  it  '  Liberty 
Hall.' 

"A  newspaper  of  that  tune,  the  '  Essex  Gazette,' 
of  Aug.  31st,  1775,  describes  the  destruction  of 
the  tree.  It  says,  '  They  made  a  furious  attack 
upon  it  and  after'  a  long  spell  of  laughing,  grin 
ning,  sweating  and  foaming  with  malice  diaboli 
cal  they  cut  down  the  tree  because  it  bore  the 


180  ELSIE   YACHTING 

name  of  Liberty.  A  soldier  was  killed  by  falling 
from  one  of  its  branches  during  the  operation.'" 

It  was  dinner  time  when  our  party  reached  the 
hotel,  where  they  had  left  Grandma  Elsie  and 
Violet  with  the  little  ones  and  their  maids.  The 
ladies  had  not  cared  to  join  in  the  morning's 
excursion  as  they  wanted  to  do  a  little  shopping, 
and  had  already  seen  Concord,  Lexington,  and 
the  places  of  historical  interest  in  the  city  itself. 

But  Bunker  Hill  was  to  be  visited  that  after 
noon,  and  from  that  little  trip  neither  lady  asked 
to  be  excused.  They  all  went  together,  starting 
directly  after  leaving  the  table. 

Every  one  greatly  enjoyed  the  view  from  the 
top  of  the  monument ;  it  was  like  a  vast  paint 
ing,  showing  them  the  city  of  Boston  with  its 
harbour,  where  could  be  seen  vessels  from  almost 
every  part  of  the  world,  and  the  many  towns 
and  villages  in  its  vicinity,  each  with  its  own 
story  of  its  struggles  for  liberty  in  "  the  days  that 
tried  men's  souls."  Far  in  the  northwest  the 
higher  peaks  of  New  Hampshire's  White  Moun 
tains  were  visible ;  on  the  northeast  they  could 
discern  the  peninsula  of  Nahant,  while  still 
farther  in  the  distance  was  Cape  Ann. 

The  Captain  gave  them  a  brief  account  of  the 
erection  of  the  monument. 

"  It  was  not  till  1824  that  a  movement  was 
made  to  that  end,"  he  said.  ' '  General  La  Fayette 
was  at  the  tune  the  nation's  guest,  and  was  in- 


XITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  181 

vited  to  lay  the  corner-stone,  which  he  did  on  the 
17th  of  June,  1825,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the 
battle. 

"  The  Hon.  Daniel  Webster  made  an  oration 
on  the  subject  to  an  immense  crowd  which  had 
gathered  for  the  occasion.  There  were  forty  of 
the  survivors  of  the  battle  present,  and  probably 
La  Fayette  met  more  of  his  fellow-soldiers  of 
that  war  then  than  at  any  other  time  or  place." 

"  Was  it  finished  in  that  year,  Papa?"  asked 
Lulu. 

"No,  indeed,  my  child;  not  for  seventeen 
years.  The  last  stone  was  raised  about  six 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  23d  of  July,  1842, 
and  with  it  —  waving  the  American  Flag  as  he 
went  up  —was  Mr.  Edward  Games,  Jr.,  of 
Charlestown,  the  roar  of  cannon  at  the  same 
time  announcing  the  event  to  the  surrounding 
country." 

"But  that  wasn't  the  anniversary  of  the  bat 
tle  ?  "  remarked  Rosie,  in  a  tone  of  inquiry. 

"No,"  the  Captain  said;  "but  on  the  next 
anniversary,  — June  17th,  1843,  —  the  monument 
was  dedicated.  Daniel  Webster  was  the  orator 
on  that  occasion  also,  addressing  a  vast  audience 
composed  of  citizens  and  soldiers." 

"'Oh,  how  I  would  have  liked  to  hear  his 
speech,  if  only  he  could  have  waited  till  I  was  in 
this  world  and  old  enough  to  understand  what  he 
was  talking  about !  "  exclaimed  Rosie. 


182  ELSIE   YACHTING 

A  remark  which  called  forth  a  good-humoured 
laugh  from  her  hearers. 

"  Now,  Papa,  the  next  thing  is  to  tell  us  about 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  —  is  n't  it  ?  "  Lulu  said 
with  a  bright,  coaxing  look  up  into  his  face. 

"  I  suppose  so,"  he  replied,  with  an  indulgent 
smile.  "  But  first  let  us  look  at  these  cannon,  — 
the  '  Hancock '  and  the  '  Adams  ; '  you  will  readily 
understand  for  whom  they  were  named.  They 
belonged  formerly  to  the  Ancient  and  Honourable 
Artillery  Company.  This  one  —  the  '  Adams '  — 
you  see  is  not  sound ;  it  was  burst  in  firing  a 
salute.  You  also  see  that  they  bear  an  inscrip 
tion,  which  I  shall  read  aloud  for  the  benefit  of 
the  company :  — 

"  Sacred  to  Liberty.  This  is  one  of  four  cannons 
which  constituted  the  whole  train  of  field-artillery 
possessed  by  the  British  colonies  of  North  America  at 
the  commencement  of  the  war,  on  the  nineteenth  of 
April,  1775.  This  cannon  and  its  fellow,  belonging  to 
a  number  of  citizens  of  Boston,  were  used  in  many  en 
gagements  during  the  war.  The  other  two,  the  prop 
erty  of  the  government  of  Massachusetts,  were  taken 
by  the  enemy.  By  order  of  the  United  States  in 
Congress  assembled,  May  nineteenth,  1788." 

"  What  strong  faith  in  God  and  the  righteous 
ness  of  their  cause  they  must  have  had,  to  begin 
a  war  with  Great  Britain  with  only  four  can 
non  in  their  possession!"  remarked  Grandma 
Elsie. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  183 

«*  Yes,"  responded  the  Captain;  "  and  it  was 
by  His  good  help  that  they  conquered  in  spite  of 
the  seemingly  insurmountable  obstacles  in  their 
way.  It  was  a  fearful  struggle,  but  with  God 
and  the  armies  of  heaven  on  their  side  they  could 
not  fail. 

"  The  events  of  that  ever-memorable  19th  of 
April  were  speedily  heralded  over  the  whole  land, 
from  the  scenes  of  their  occurrence  down  to  South 
Carolina  and  Georgia,  west  to  the  first  settlers  of 
Kentucky,  and  north  to  Montreal  and  Quebec. 

"  It  electrified  its  hearers,  and  with  one  impulse 
they  of  the  colonies  —  soon  to  become  States  — 
sprang  to  arms.  As  Bancroft  says,  4  With  one 
spirit  they  pledged  themselves  to  each  other  to  be 
ready  for  the  extreme  event.'  With  one  heart 
the  continent  cried,  '  Liberty  or  death ! ' 

"  The  Massachusetts  Committee  of  Safety  sent 
a  circular  to  the  several  towns  of  that  State, 
conjuring  them  to  encourage  enlistments  by 
every  means  in  their  power,  and  send  the  troops 
forward  to  headquarters  at  Cambridge  with  the 
expedition  that  the  urgency  and  importance  of 
the  affair  demanded.  But  the  people  had  not 
waited  for  the  call. 

"  Hearing  of  the  slaughter  of  their  brethren, 
men  snatched  their  firelocks  from  the  walls  and 
rushed  to  the  camp,  often  with  scarcely  any  pre 
paration,  some  of  them  with  almost  no  provision, 
no  money  in  their  pockets,  and  only  the  clothes 


184  ELSIE   YACHTING 

on  their  backs.  They  were  hastening  to  the 
defence  of  their  country  and  their  endangered 
brethren. 

"  So  Boston  was  besieged ;  Prescott  of  Pepperell 
and  his  Middlesex  minute-men  kept  watch  over 
the  entrance  to  that  city.  Gage  was  forced  to 
fortify  the  town  at  all  points,  while  the  Americans 
talked  of  driving  him  and  his  troops  into  the  sea. 

"  New  Hampshire  sent  men  under  the  com 
mand  of  John  Stark,  a  noble  fellow  well  known 
as  brave,  fearless,  and  worthy  of  all  confidence. 

"  Israel  Putnam  was  another,  who,  hearing  the 
cry  from  Lexington,  which  reached  him  on  the 
morning  after  the  battle,  while  he  was  helping 
his  hired  men  to  build  a  stone  wall  on  his  farm, 
hurried  thither  without  waiting  to  so  much  as 
change  the  check  shirt  he  was  wearing  in  the 
field  ;  though  first  he  roused  the  militia  officers  of 
the  nearest  towns. 

"  He  reached  Cambridge  by  sunrise  the  next 
morning,  having  ridden  the  same  horse  a  hun 
dred  miles  in  eighteen  hours.  He  was  full  of 
courage  and  love  for  his  country,  and  hundreds 
had  already  chosen  him  for  their  leader. 

"  Benedict  Arnold  was  still  another  who  made 
Iiaste  to  Boston  to  assist  in  the  siege.  By  the 
21st  of  April  it  was  estimated  that  twenty  thou 
sand  men  were  collected  about  that  city. 

"  The  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  you  will  recollect, 
was  not  fought  till  the  17th  of  June.  During 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  185 

all  the  intervening  time  the  Americans  had  kept 
the  British  officers  and  their  troops  besieged 
in  Boston,  and  they  were  beginning  to  be  much 
ashamed  of  their  confinement. 

"  The  Americans  had  decided  to  throw  up  a 
breast-work  across  the  road  near  Prospect  Hill, 
and  to  fortify  Bunker  Hill  as  soon  as  a  supply 
of  powder  and  artillery  could  be  obtained ;  but 
learning  that  Gage  had  planned  to  extend  his 
lines  north  and  south  over  Dorchester  and 
Charlestown,  and  had  fixed  upon  the  eighteenth 
of  June  for  so  doing,  they  decided  to  anticipate 
his  movement,  and  on  the  fifteenth  of  that  month 
the  Massachusetts  Committee  of  Safety  informed 
the  Council  of  War  that,  in  their  opinion,  Dor 
chester  Heights  should  be  fortified ;  and  they 
recommended  unanimously  the  establishing  of  a 
post  on  Bunker  Hill. 

"  The  choice  of  an  officer  to  conduct  the  en 
terprise  fell  upon  William  Prescott,  who  was 
colonel  of  a  regiment ;  and  the  next  evening  a 
brigade  of  a  thousand  men  was  put  under  bis 
command. 

"  Soon  after  sunset  they  paraded  on  Cambridge 
Common.  They  were  not  in  uniform  as  Ameri 
can  troops  would  be  in  these  days,  nor  had  they 
such  arms ;  for  the  most  part  they  had  fowl 
ing-pieces,  —  no  bayonets  to  them,  —  and  only  a 
small  supply  of  powder  and  bullets,  which  they 
carried  in  horns  and  pouches. 


186  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  Four  days  previously  a  proclamation  had  been 
issued  threatening  all  persons  in  arms  against 
their  sovereign  with  death  under  martial  law, 
by  the  cord  as  rebels  and  traitors.  That 
menace  these  men  were  the  first  to  defy;  and 
he,  Prescott,  was  resolved  *  never  to  be  taken 
alive.' 

"  Langdon,  the  president  of  Harvard  College, 
prayed  fervently  with  them.  Then  as  it  began  to 
grow  dark  on  that  summer  night,  they  marched 
silently  and  without  noise  across  the  narrow 
isthmus,  taking  with  them  their  wagons  with  in 
trenching  tools ;  and  Prescott,  calling  around 
him  his  officers  and  Richard  Gridley,  an  ex 
perienced  engineer,  consulted  with  them  as  to 
the  spot  on  which  they  should  erect  their  earth 
works. 

"  Bunker  Hill  had  been  proposed  by  the  com 
mittee,  but  Prescott  had  received  orders  to  march 
to  Breed's  Hill,  and  obeyed  them.  It  was  nearer 
Boston,  and  he  and  his  companions  thought  it 
better  suited  than  the  other  for  annoying  the 
British  in  the  town  and  the  shipping  in  the 
harbour. 

"  So  the  engineer  drew  there,  by  the  light  of 
the  stars,  the  lines  of  a  redoubt  nearly  eight  rods 
square.  The  bells  of  Boston  had  struck  twelve 
before  they  began  their  work  by  turning  the  first 
sod,  but  every  man  of  the  thousand  plied  the 
pickaxe  and  spade  in  turn,  and  so  rapidly  that 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  187 

the  parapet  soon  assumed  form  and  height 
sufficient  for  defence,  and  Prescott  said  to 
himself,  '  We  shall  keep  our  ground  if  some 
screen,  however  slight,  can  be  completed  before 
discovery.' 

"  He  set  a  watch  to  patrol  the  shore,  and 
twice  went  down  to  the  margin  of  the  water,  on 
which  three  British  vessels  lay  at  anchor,  —  the 
'  Lively '  in  the  ferry  between  Boston  and  Charles- 
town,  and  a  little  to  the  eastward  of  her  the 
'  Falcon,'  sloop-of-war,  and  the  '  Somerset,'  a  ship- 
of-the-line,  —  and  listening  intently  he  could  hear 
the  drowsy  cry  of  the  sentinels  on  their  decks, 
'  All  is  well.' " 

Captain  Raymond  paused  and  looked  at  his 
watch. 

"  It  is  time  we  were  going,"  he  said.  "  I  will 
just  point  out  to  you  all  the  localities  made  in 
teresting  by  the  events  of  that  day,  and  finish  my 
story  on  board  the  '  Dolphin,'  to  which  we  are 
just  about  to  return.  We  may  be  in  the  way  of 
other  visitors  here,  but  there  will  be  quite  to 
ourselves,  and  an  annoyance  to  no  one." 

They  went  back  to  their  hotel,  where  the 
Captain  left  them  for  a  little,  saying  he  had  some 
purchases  to  make  for  use  on  the  voyage,  but 
would  return  shortly  to  see  them  on  board  the 
yacht. 

He  was  not  gone  very  long,  and  on  his  return 
the  entire  party — with  the  exception  of  Donald 


188  ELSIE  YACHTING 

Keith  who  had  bidden  them  farewell  early  that 
morning  —  returned  with  him  to  the  "Dolphin," 
which  presently  sailed  out  of  the  harbour  and 
pursued  her  way  up  along  the  New  England 
coast. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  189 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

THE  evening  proved  a  rainy  one  and  cool  for 
the  season  ;  but  the  "  Dolphin's  "  cabin  was  found 
an  agreeable  resort.  All  gathered  there,  and  at 
once  there  was  an  urgent  request  from  the  young 
people  that  the  interrupted  story  of  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill  might  be  resumed. 

"  You  know,  Papa,  we  left  off  just  where 
Prescott's  men  were  digging  and  making  a  re 
doubt,"  said  Lulu.  "  The  night  before  the  bat 
tle,  was  n't  it  ?  " 

"Yes,"  he  replied.  "The  British  were  greatly 
astonished  when  daylight  revealed  the  work  that 
had  been  going  on  during  the  hours  of  darkness  ; 
for  it  was  done  so  quietly  that  their  suspicions 
had  not  been  aroused. 

"  No  shout  disturbed  the  night 
Before  that  fearful  fight ; 
There  was  no  boasting  high, 
No  marshalling  of  men 
Who  ne'er  might  meet  again; 
No  cup  was  filled  and  quaffed  to  victory! 
No  plumes  were  there, 
No  banners  fair, 
No  trumpets  breathed  around; 
Nor  the  drum's  startling  sound 
Broke  on  the  midnight  air." 


190  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  What  nice  verses,  Papa ! "  said  Gracie, 
"Did  you  make  them  yourself?" 

"  No,  daughter,"  he  replied,  "  it  was  merely 
a  quotation  from  John  Neal,  one  of  our  own 
American  poets. 

"  But  to  go  on  with  my  story.  As  soon  as  the 
British  discovered  the  redoubt  our  men  had  con 
structed  on  Breed's  Hill,  the  captain  of  the '  Lively ' 
put  springs  on  his  cables  and  opened  a  fire  upon 
it  without  waiting  for  orders. 

' '  The  noise  of  the  cannon  aroused  the  sleeping 
people  of  Boston,  and  by  the  time  the  sun  was  up 
every  eminence  and  roof  in  the  city  swarmed 
with  them,  all  gazing  with  astonished  eyes  upon 
the  strange  apparition  on  Breed's  Hill.  The 
*  Lively's'  shots  did  no  harm,  and  the  Americans 
went  on  as  before  with  then*  work.  They  were 
behind  their  intrenchments  busied  in  strengthen 
ing  them,  and  toiled  on  till  pick  and  shovel  had  to 
be  laid  aside  for  guns  to  defend  them  with. 

"  The  firing  presently  ceased  for  a  little,  by 
order  of  Admiral  Graves,  the  British  naval  com- 
mander-in-chief,  but  was  soon  resumed  by  the 
shipping,  while  a  battery  of  six  guns  on  Copp's 
Hill  in  the  city  joined  in  with  them. 

"  Early  that  morning  the  British  general,  Gage, 
called  a  council  of  war,  and  it  was  decided  to 
drive  the  Americans  out  of  their  works,  and  that 
the  attack  should  be  made  in  front. 

"  Boston  was  full  of  excitement,  drums,  were 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  191 

beating,  dragoons  galloping  about  the  streets, 
regulars  and  royalists  marching  and  counter 
marching,  artillery  trains  rumbling  and  church- 
bells  ringing." 

"  Ah,  how  the  hearts  of  wives  and  mothers, 
brothers  and  sisters,  must  have  been  torn  at 
thought  of  the  terrible  struggle  just  at  hand ! " 
sighed  Grandma  Elsie,  as  the  Captain  paused  for 
a  moment  in  his  narrative. 

%"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "then  and  still  more  when 
from  the  roofs,  steeples,  and  every  sort  of  eleva 
tion,  they  watched  with  streaming  eyes  the  pro 
gress  of  the  fight  after  it  had  actually  begun." 

"  Oh,"  exclaimed  Gracie,  "  how  glad  and 
thankful  I  am  that  God  let  us  live  in  these 
later  days  when  there  is  no  war  in  our  dear 
country !  " 

"  Yes,  dear  child,  we  should  thank  God  for 
peace,"  her  father  responded,  softly  smoothing 
her  hair  and  pressing  his  lips  to  her  cheek  for  an 
instant  as  she  stood  by  his  side,  her  head  resting 
lovingly  on  his  shoulder. 

"  The  Americans  worked  faithfully  on  their 
intrenchments  all  the  morning,"  he  continued, 
"  Fresco tt  doing  all  he  could  to  encourage  them 
by  his  voice  and  example,  even  walking  leisurely 
around  upon  the  parapet  in  full  view  of  the  Brit 
ish  officers  who  were  still  in  Boston. 

"It  is  said  that  Gage  was  looking  at  the 
American  works  through  a  field-glass,  and  saw 


192  ELSIE   YACHTING 

Prescott,  who  was  a  tall  man  of  commanding 
appearance,  going  his  rounds,  and  that  he  in 
quired  of  Counsellor  Willard,  a  brother-in-law  of 
Prescott,  who  was  standing  near,  who  it  was. 

"  '  That  is  Colonel  Prescott,'  was  the  reply. 

"  '  Will  he  fight?'    asked  Gage. 

"  'Yes,  sir,'  answered  Willard,  '  he  is  an  old 
soldier,  and  will  fight  as  long  as  a  drop  of  blood 
remains  in  his  veins.' 

"  '  The  works  must  be  carried  immediately,' 
was  Gage's  rejoinder,  and  he  at  once  proceeded  to 
give  the  order  for  the  attack. 

"  He  sent  between  two  and  three  thousand 
picked  men  under  the  command  of  Generals  Howe 
and  Pigot.  They  crossed  the  water  in  twenty- 
eight  barges,  and  landed  at  Morton's  Point  be 
yond  the  eastern  foot  of  Breed's  Hill,  covered  by 
the  guns  of  the  '  Falcon '  and  other  vessels.  There 
they  waited  for  reinforcements,  which  were  sent 
Howe  about  two  o'clock. 

"  While  the  troops  of  Howe  and  Pigot  were 
waiting,  they  dined  ;  but  the  poor  Americans  be 
hind  their  intrenchments,  at  which  they  had  been 
working  all  the  morning  as  well  as  from  twelve 
o'clock  of  the  previous  night,  had  little  or  nothing 
to  eat  or  drink,  and  were  suffering  with  hunger, 
thirst,  and  the  extreme  heat  of  the  weather  as 
well  as  fatigue,  for  the  day  was  one  of  the  hottest 
of  the  season. 

"  Besides,  the  reinforcements  sent  to  their  a&. 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  193 

eistance  were  so  few  and  feeble  that  a  dreadful 
suspicion  arose  in  their  minds  that  they  were  the 
victims  of  treachery. 

"  Still  they  could  not  doubt  the  patriotism  of 
their  principal  officers ;  and  before  the  battle 
began,  the  arrival  of  their  beloved  Dr.  Warren 
and  Gezoi'^1  Pomeroy  entirely  relieved  their 
doubts. 

"  Dr.  Warren  was  suffering  from  sickness  and 
exhaustion  ;  and  Putnam,  who  was  at  Cambridge 
forwarding  reinforcements  and  provisions  to 
Charlestown,  tried  to  persuade  him  not  to  take 
part  in  the  coming  fight.  But  his  heart  was  in 
the  cause,  and  he  was  not  to  be  induced  to  give 
up  doing  all  he  could  to  help  in  the  approaching 
struggle  for  freedom. 

"  He  mounted  a  horse,  sped  across  the  neck, 
and  just  as  Howe  gave  orders  to  advance,  entered 
the  redoubt  amid  the  loud  cheers  of  the  men  who 
so  loved  and  trusted  him." 

"  Such  a  lovely  man,  and  ardent  patriot  as  he 
was  !  "  exclaimed  Violet.  "  Oh,  it  makes  my 
heart  ache  to  think  that  he  was  killed  in  that 
battle." 

"  It  was  a  very  great  loss  to  the  American 
cause,"  responded  her  husband,  taking  a  book 
from  a  table  near  at  hand  as  he  spoke.  "  This,'* 
he  said,  "  is  Bancroft's  History,  which  I  bought 
this  afternoon  that  I  might  have  his  help  in  going 
over  the  story  of  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and 
13. 


194  ELSIE   YACHTING 

other  interesting  events  of  the  Revolution.     This 
is  what  he  says  of  Joseph  Warren :  — 

"  In  him  were  combined  swiftness  of  thought  and  re 
solve,  courage,  endurance,  and  manners  which  won 
universal  love.  He  opposed  the  British  government 
not  from  interested  motives  nor  from  resentment. 
Guileless  and  intrepid,  he  was  in  truth  a  patriot.  As 
the  moment  for  the  appeal  to  arms  approached,  he 
watched  with  joy  the  revival  of  the  generous  spirit  of 
New  England's  ancestors;  and  wherever  the  peril  was 
greatest  he  was  present  animating  not  by  words  alone, 
but  ever  by  his  example. 

"  His  integrity,  the  soundness  of  his  judgment,  his 
ability  to  write  readily  and  well,  his  fervid  eloquence, 
his  exact  acquaintance  with  American  rights  and 
the  infringements  of  them,  gave  authority  to  his  ad 
vice  in  private  and  in  the  provincial  congress.  Had 
he  lived,  the  future  seemed  burdened  with  his  honors; 
he  cheerfully  sacrificed  all  for  the  freedom  of  his 
country  and  the  rights  of  man." 

"  He  left  some  children,  if  I  remember  right?  " 
remarked  Violet  in  a  tone  of  inquiry,  as  her 
husband  paused  in  his  reading. 

"  Yes,  four  of  them,"  answered  the  Captain ; 
"  and  his  wife  having  died  about  two  years  be 
fore,  they  were  now  left  orphans,  in  straitened 
circumstances. 

"  And  that  reminds  me  of  a  good  deed  done  by 
Gen.  Benedict  Arnold.  He  was  a  warm  friend 
of  Warren,  and  for  that  reason  came  to  their 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  195 

relief,  himself  contributing  five  hundred  dollars 
for  their  education,  and  obtaining  from  Congress 
the  amount  of  a  major-general's  half  pay,  to  be 
applied  to  their  support  from  the  time  of  their 
father's  death  until  the  youngest  child  should  be 
of  age. 

"  But  to  go  on  with  the  account  of  the  battle. 
"Warren  had  been  entreated  not  thus  to  expose 
his  life.  His  answer  was,  '  It  is  sweet  and  be 
coming  to  die  for  one's  country.'  He  saw  all 
the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  his  countrymen,  and 
desired  to  give  all  the  help  in  his  power. 

"  Putnam  expressed  himself  as  ready  to  receive 
his  orders  ;  but  Warren  declined  to  take  the  com 
mand  from  him,  and  passed  on  to  the  redoubt 
which  seemed  likely  to  be  the  chief  point  of  at 
tack  by  the  enemy. 

"  Prescott  there  offered  the  command  to  him, 
as  Putnam  had  just  done ;  but  Warren  again 
declined,  saying,  '  I  come  as  a  volunteer,  to 
learn  from  a  soldier  of  experience.'  This  though 
three  days  before  he  had  been  elected  a  provin 
cial  major-general. 

"  After  the  British  had  landed  and  before  the 
battle  began,  Col.  John  Stark  arrived  with  his 
New  Hampshire  troops.  Except  Prescott  he 
brought  the  largest  number  into  the  field.  He 
was  a  very  brave  man,  and  so  cool  and  collected 
that  he  marched  leisurely  across  the  isthmus, 
raked  by  the  cannon  of  the  enemy;  and  when 


196  ELSIE   YACHTING 

one  of  his  captains  advised  a  quickstep,  he 
replied,  '  One  fresh  man  in  action  is  worth  ten 
fatigued  ones.' 

"  There  was  not  time  for  him  to  consult  with 
Prescott.  They  fought  independently,  —  Pres- 
cott  at  his  redoubt,  Stark  and  Knowlton,  and 
Reed's  regiment  to  protect  its  flank. 

"Months  before  that,  —  two  days  after  the 
battle  of  Concord,  —  Gage  had  threatened  to 
burn  Charlestown  in  case  the  Americans  should 
occupy  the  heights.  So  an  order  was  now  given 
to  set  it  on  fire,  and  it  was  done  by  shells  from 
Copp's  Hill ;  the  houses  being  mostly  of  wood, 
two  hundred  of  them  were  soon  in  flames. 

"  The  British  thought  to  be  protected  in  their 
advance  by  the  smoke  of  the  burning  houses, 
but  a  gentle  breeze,  the  first  that  had  been  felt 
that  day,  arose  and  wafted  it  aside,  so  that 
they  were  not  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  the 
Americans. 

"  It  was  somewhere  between  two  and  three 
o'clock  when  the  British  began  their  approach. 
They  were  in  two  columns,  one  led  by  Howe, 
the  other  by  Pigot,  Howe  no  doubt  expecting 
to  get  into  Prescott's  rear  and  force  him  to  a 
surrender.  But  I  will  give  another  extract  from 
Bancroft. 

"  As  they  began  to  march,  the  battery  on  Copp's 
Hill,  from  which  Clinton  and  Burgoyne  were  watch 
ing  every  movement,  kept  up  an  incessant  fire,  which 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  197 

was  seconded  by  the  '  Falcon  '  and  the  '  Lively,'  the 
'  Somerset '  and  the  two  floating  batteries ;  the  town 
of  Charlestown,  consisting  of  five  hundred  edifices  of 
wood,  burst  into  a  blaze ;  and  the  steeple  of  its  only 
church  became  a  pyramid  of  fire.  All  the  while  the 
masts  of  the  British  shipping  and  the  heights  of  the 
British  camp,  the  church  towers,  the  house  tops  of  a 
populous  town,  and  the  acclivities  of  the  surrounding 
country,  were  crowded  with  spectators  to  watch  the 
battle  which  was  to  take  place  in  full  sight  on  a  con 
spicuous  eminence." 

"  Oh,  Papa,"  pleaded  Oracle,  as  he  paused 
for  an  instant,  "  please  tell  it.  I  like  that  so 
much  better  than  listening  to  reading." 

"  Quite  a  compliment  to  me  as  a  reader,"  he 
returned  with  an  amused  look. 

"  No,  sir,  as  a  talker.  I  like  to  hear  you  tell 
things,"  she  responded,  with  a  sweet,  engaging 
smile. 

"Do  you,  dear  child?  Very  well,  I'll  try  to 
gratify  you. 

"  When  Prescott  saw  the  red-coats  moving 
toward  his  redoubt  he  ordered  two  separate  de 
tachments  to  flank  the  enemy,  then  went  through 
his  works  encouraging  his  men,  to  whom  this 
was  an  entirely  new  experience.  '  The  red 
coats  will  never  reach  the  redoubt,'  he  said,  *  if 
you  will  but  withhold  your  fire  till  I  give  the 
order ;  and  be  careful  not  to  shoot  over  their 
heads. '  Then  he  waited  till  the  enemy  had  come 


198  ELSIE   YACHTING 

within  a  few  rods,  when  waving  his  sword  over 
his  head  he  gave  the  word,  '  Fire ! ' 

"  Every  gun  was  instantly  discharged,  and 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  front  rank  fell ;  the  rest, 
astonished  at  this  unexpected  resistance,  stood 
still.  Then  for  some  minutes  the  fire  of  the 
Americans  continued,  answered  by  the  British, 
till  at  last  they  staggered,  wavered,  then  fled 
down  the  hill  toward  their  boats. 

"  Howe  had  been  treated  to  a  like  reception 
by  Stark's  and  Knowlton's  troops,  cheered  on  by 
Putnam  who,  like  Prescott,  bade  them  reserve 
their  fire  till  the  best  moment,  when  they  poured 
in  one  as  deadly  and  destructive  as  that  which 
came  from  Prescott's  redoubt." 

"  Was  n't  Prescott's  order  to  his  men  to  re 
serve  their  fire  till  they  could  see  the  whites  of 
the  British  soldier's  eyes  ?  "  queried  Violet. 

"  Yes,  so  Lossing  tells  us  ;  and  that  he  added, 
4  Then  aim  at  their  waistbands ;  and  be  sure  to 
pick  off  the  commanders,  known  by  their  hand 
some  coats.' 

"  His  men  were  filled  with  joy  when  they  saw 
the  British  fly,  and  wanted  to  pursue  them,  some 
even  leaping  the  fence ;  but  their  more  prudent 
officers  restrained  them,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
they  were  all  within  their  works  again,  and 
ready  to  receive  and  repulse  a  second  attack. 

"  Colonel  Prescott  praised  and  encouraged  them 
while  Putnam  rode  over  to  Bunker  Hill  to  urge- 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  199 

\ 

on  reinforcement ;  but  '  few  additional  troops 
could  be  brought  to  Breed's  Hill  before  the 
second  attack  was  made.'  Before  that  the  Brit 
ish  were  reinforced  by  four  hundred  marines 
from  Boston,  then  they  moved  against  the  re 
doubt  in  the  same  order  as  at  first,  their  artillery 
doing  more  damage  to  the  Americans  than  in 
the  first  assault." 

"Papa,"  asked  Gracie,  "what  had  become 
of  the  wounded  men  they  'd  left  lying  on  the 
ground  ?  —  those  the  Americans  shot  down  at 
their  first  fire  over  the  redoubt  ?  " 

"  They  were  still  lying  there  on  the  ground 
where  they  had  fallen,  poor  fellows !  and  the 
others  marched  over  them.  Ah,  war  is  a  dread 
ful  thing,  and  those  who  forced  it  upon  the 
patient,  long-suffering  Americans  were  either 
very  thoughtless  or  exceeding  cruel." 

"  Yes,"  exclaimed  Rosie,  "  I  don't  know  what 
George  III.  could  have  been  made  of  to  be  will 
ing  to  cause  so  much  suffering  even  to  innocent 
defenceless  women  and  children,  just  that  he 
might  play  the  tyrant  and  forcibly  take  from  the 
Americans  their  own  hard  earnings  to  pay  his 
way." 

"  He  was  perhaps  not  quite  so  wicked  as 
weak,"  replied  her  mother ;  "  you  know,  I  think, 
that  he  afterward  lost  his  mind  several  times. 
Indeed  he  had  done  so  once  before  this, —  in 
1764." 


200  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  He  had  been  wicked  and  cruel  enough  for  a 
guilty  conscience  to  set  him  crazy,  I  should 
think,"  remarked  Max. 

"Please  go  on,  again,  Papa,  won't  you?" 
entreated  Lulu. 

"  I  will,"  he  said.  "  The  British  fired  as  they 
drew  near,  but  with  little  effect ;  and  the  Ameri 
cans,  reserving  their  fire  as  before,  till  the  foe 
was  within  five  or  six  yards  of  the  redoubt,  then 
poured  it  on  them  with  deadly  aim,  as  at  the 
first  attack.  It  told  with  terrible  effect }  whole 
ranks  of  officers  and  men  fell  dead." 

"Oh,  didn't  they  run  then,  Papa?"  queried 
Gracie  with  a  shudder  of  horror  as  she  seemed 
to  see  the  ground  strewed  with  the  dead  and 
dying. 

"  They  were  thrown  into  confusion  and  re 
treated  to  the  shore,"  the  Captain  replied,  —  "  re 
treated  in  great  disorder.  It  seemed  that  the 
American  fire  was  even  more  fatal  than  before. 
In  telling  the  story  afterward  Prescott  said, 
'  From  the  whole  American  line  there  was  a 
continuous  stream  of  fire.' 

"The  British  officers  exposed  themselves  fear 
lessly,  and  urged  their  soldiers  on  with  persua 
sions,  threats,  and  even  blows ;  but  they  could 
not  reach  the  redoubt,  and  presently  gave  way, 
and,  as  I  have  said,  retreated  in  great  disorder. 

"  At  one  time  Howe  was  left  nearly  alone  fo* 
a  few  seconds,  so  many  of  his  officers  had  been 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  201 

Mlled  or  wounded ;  while  '  the  dead,'  as  Stark 
said  in  his  account  of  the  battle,  '  lay  as  thick 
as  sheep  in  a  fold.' 

"  Now  I  think  my  little  Gracie  will  have  to  put 
up  with  some  more  reading,"  added  the  Captain, 
with  a  smiling  glance  at  her ;  then  opening  his 
book,  read  aloud,  — 

"  At  intervals  the  artillery  from  the  ships  and  bat 
teries  was  playing,  while  the  flames  were  rising  over 
the  town  of  Charlestown  and  laying  waste  the  places 
of  the  graves  of  its  fathers,  and  streets  were  falling  to 
gether,  and  ships  at  the  yards  were  crashing  on  the 
stocks,  and  the  kindred  of  the  Americans,  from  the 
fields,  and  hills  and  house-tops  around,  watched  every 
gallant  act  of  their  defenders.  '  The  whole,'  wrote 
Burgoyne,  '  was  a  complication  of  horror  and  import 
ance  beyond  anything  it  ever  came  to  my  lot  to  be 
witness  to.  It  was  a  sight  for  a  young  soldier  that  the 
longest  service  may  not  furnish  again." 

"  If,"  remarked  Captain  Raymond,  again  clos 
ing  the  book,  "  it  was  so  dreadful  a  sight  for 
soldiers  accustomed  to  the  horrors  of  war,  what 
must  it  not  have  been  to  the  American  farm 
ers  taking  their  first  lesson  in  war?  But  not 
one  of  them  shrank  from  duty.  I  think  we  may 
be  very  proud  of  those  countrymen  of  ours. 
Prescott  said  to  his  men,  '  If  we  drive  them  back 
once  more  they  cannot  rally  again.'  At  that  his 
men  cheered  him,  and  shouted,  *  We  are  ready 
for  the  red-coats  again.^ 


202  ELSIE   YACHTING 

11  But  alao !  the  officers  now  discovered  that 
the  supply  of  gunpowder  was  nearly  exhausted. 
Prescott  had  sent  in  the  morning  for  more,  but  it 
had  not  come  ;  and  there  were  not  fifty  bayonets 
in  his  party." 

"  They  were  wonderfully  brave  to  stand  for  a 
third  attack  under  such  circumstances,"  remarked 
Evelyn. 

"They  were  indeed,"  responded  the  Captain. 
*'  No  one  of  the  seven  hundred  men  with  Prescott 
seems  to  have  thought  of  giving  up  the  contest 
without  another  effort.  Some  gathered  stones 
from  the  redoubt  to  use  as  missiles,  those  who 
had  no  bayonets  resolved  to  club  their  guns  and 
strike  with  them  when  their  powder  should  be 
gone ;  all  were  determined  to  fight  as  long  as  a 
ray  of  hope  of  success  could  be  discerned.  And 
they  did. 

"  They  waited  with  quiet  firmness  the  approach 
of  the  enemy  who  came  steadily  on  with  fixed 
bayonets,  while  their  cannon  were  so  trained  that 
they  swept  the  interior  of  the  breast-work  from 
one  end  to  the  other,  obliging  the  Americans  to 
crowd  within  their  fort. 

"  The  Americans  were  presently  attacked  on 
three  sides,  at  once ;  and  there  were,  as  I  have 
said,  but  seven  hundred  of  them,  some  of  whom 
had  no  more  than  one  round  of  ammunition,  none 
of  them  more  than  four.  But  they  did  not  quail, 
and  Prescott  calmly  gave  his  directions. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  20-3 

"  Ke  bade  his  men  wait,  reserving  their  fire 
till  the  enemy  was  within  twenty  yards.  Then 
they  poured  in  a  deadly  volley.  Every  shot  told. 
Howe  was  wounded  in  the  foot,  and  several  of  his 
officers  were  killed  besides  the  common  soldiers. 
But  they  pressed  on  to  the  now  nearly  silent  re 
doubt,  for  the  American  fire  had  slackened  and 
begun  to  die  away. 

"  And  now  there  was  only  a  ridge  of  earth  be 
tween  the  combatants,  and  the  first  of  the  British 
who  reached  it  were  assailed  with  a  shower  of 
stones.  Then  some  of  them  scaled  the  parapet 
and  were  shot  down  in  the  act.  One  of  these 
was  Major  Pitcairn,  who  had  led  the  troops  at 
Lexington.  As  he  mounted  the  parapet  he  cried 
out,  '  Now  for  the  glory  of  the  marines  ! '  and  was 
answered  by  a  shot  from  a  negro  that  gave  him  a 
mortal  wound.  His  son  carried  him  to  a  boat, 
conveyed  him  to  Boston,  and  there  he  soon  died." 

"  Oh !  "  exclaimed  Grade,  "  I  hope  that  brave 
Colonel  Prescott  did  n't  get  killed,  Papa !  " 

"  Nc  :  he  escaped  unhurt,  though  his  coat  and 
waistcoat  were  pierced  and  torn  in  several  places 
by  the  bayonets  of  the  British,  which  he  parried 
with  his  sword. 

"  It  was  now  a  hand-to-hand  fight,  British  and 
Americans  mingled  together,  our  men  walking 
backward  and  hewing  their  way  out,  dealing 
deadly  blows  with  their  muskets. 

"  Fortunately  the  British  were  too  much  ex« 


204  ELSIE   YACHTING 

hausted  to  use  their  bayonets  with  vigour ;  and  so 
intermingled  were  they  and  the  Americans  that 
the  use  of  firearms  would  have  been  dangerous  to 
their  own  men  as  well  as  to  ours." 

"  Oh,"  sighed  Rosie,  "  I  have  always  been  so 
sorry  that  our  men  did  n't  have  plenty  of  gun 
powder  !  I  don't  think  there 's  a  doubt  that  if 
they  had  been  well  supplied  with  it,  they  would 
have  won  a  grand  victory." 

"  Yes ;  they  did  wonders  considering  all  they 
had  to  contend  with,"  said  the  Captain.  "  Their 
courage,  endurance,  and  skill  as  marksmen  aston 
ished  the  British,  and  were  never  forgotten  by 
them  during  the  long  war  that  followed. 

"The  number  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill  was  small,  all  taken  together  not  more  than 
fifteen  hundred  of  the  Americano,  —  less  than 
seven  hundred  in  the  redoubt,  —  while  of  the 
British  there  were,  according  to  Gage,  more  than 
two  thousand ;  other  and  accurate  observers  said, 
'  near  upon  three  thousand.' 

"  But  in  spite  of  the  smallness  of  the  numbers 
engaged,  the  battle  was  one  of  the  severest  and 
most  determined  on  record.  Neither  side  could 
claim  a  victory,  but  both  displayed  great  courage 
and  determination." 

"  And  Joseph  Warren  was  one  of  the  killed !  " 
sighed  Grandma  Elsie  ,  "  one  of  the  bravest,  best, 
and  most  lovable  of  men,  as  those  who  knew  him 
have  testified.  I  remember  reading  that  Mrs. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS-  205 

John  Adams  said  of  him  and  his  death,  *  Not  all 
the  havoc  and  devastation  they  have  made  has 
wounded  me  like  the  death  of  Warren.  "We 
want  him  in  the  Senate  ;  we  want  him  in  his  pro 
fession  ;  we  want  him  in  the  field.  We  mourn 
for  the  citizen,  the  senator,  the  physician,  and 
the  warrior.'  General  Howe  said, '  His  death  was 
worth  more  to  the  British  than  that  of  five  hun 
dred  of  the  provincial  privates.'  " 

"  And  that  was  not  an  over-estimate,  I  think,' 
said  the  Captain.  "  It  was  indeed  a  sad  loss  to 
the  cause  of  the  colonies  when  he  was  slain." 

"  But  there  were  more  of  the  British  killed 
than  of  our  men,  —  were  n't  there,  Papa?  "  asked 
Lulu. 

"  Yes,  very  many  more.  By  Gage's  own  ac 
count  the  number  of  killed  and  wounded  in  his 
army  was  at  least  one  thousand  and  fifty-four. 
The  oldest  soldiers  had  never  seen  anything  like 
it,  —  so  many  officers  killed  and  wounded.  Ban 
croft  tells  us  that  the  battle  of  Quebec,  which 
won  a  continent,  did  not  cost  the  lives  of  so 
many  officers  as  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  which 
gained  nothing  '  but  a  place  of  encampment.' 

"  The  American  loss  was  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  in  killed  and  missing,  three  hundred 
and  four  wounded.  No  doubt  the  loss  would 
have  been  very  much  greater  but  for  the  brave 
conduct  of  the  men  at  the  rail  fence  and  the 
bank  of  the  Mystic,  who  kept  the  enemy  at 


206 

bay  while  the  men  from  the  redoubt  retreated. 
You  may  remember  that  they  were  Stark's  men 
from  New  Hampshire  and  Knowlton's  from 
Connecticut." 

"  I  hope  the  result  of  the  battle  encouraged 
the  Americans  as  much  as  it  discouraged  the 
British,"  remarked  Rosie,  "  and  I  think  I  have 
read  that  it  did." 

"  Yes,"  the  Captain  replied,  "it  did.  In  his 
general  order,  thanking  the  officers  and  soldiers 
for  their  gallant  behaviour  at  Charlestown,  Ward 
said,  '  We  shall  finally  come  off  victorious, 
and  triumph  over  the  enemies  of  freedom  and 
America.' " 

"  Did  they  fight  any  more  that  night,  Papa?" 
asked  Gracie. 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  though  Prescott  went  to 
headquarters  and  offered  to  recover  his  post  if  he 
might  have  three  fresh  regiments.  He  did  not 
seem  to  think  he  had  done  anything  more  than 
his  duty,  and  asked  for  neither  praise  nor  pro 
motion,  though  others  gave  him  unstinted  praise 
for  what  he  had  done. 

"  Putnam  was  absent  from  the  field,  engaged 
in  trying  to  collect  reinforcements,  when  the 
third  attack  was  made,  and  the  retreating  party 
encountered  him  on  the  northern  declivity  of 
Bunker  Hill.  He  tried  to  stop  and  turn  them 
about,  —  commanded,  pleaded,  and  used  every 
exertion  in  his  power  to  rally  the  scattered  corps, 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  207 

swearing  that  victory  should  crown  the  American 
arms.  '  Make  a  stand  here  ;  we  can  stop  them 
yet ! '  he  exclaimed.  '  In  God's  name,  fire, 
and  give  them  one  shot  more ! ' 

"It  is  said  that  after  the  war  was  over  he 
made  a  sincere  confession  to  the  church  of  which 
he  was  a  member ;  but  he  said,  '  It  was  almost 
enough  to  make  an  angel  swear  to  see  the  cow 
ards  refuse  to  secure  a  victory  so  nearly  won.' " 

"  And  couldn't  he  stop  them,  Papa?"  asked 
Grade. 

"  He  succeeded  with  some  few,"  replied  her 
father,  "  joined  them  to  a  detachment  which  had 
not  reached  the  spot  till  the  fighting  was  over, 
and  with  them  took  possession  of  Prospect  Hill, 
where  he  encamped  for  the  night." 

"  Oh,  Papa,  what  did  they  do  with  all  those 
Americans  and  British  who  had  been  killed  ? " 
asked  Gracie. 

"  There  must  have  been  many  a  sad  funeral," 
the  Captain  said  in  reply,  "  many  a  widow  and 
fatherless  child  to  weep  over  the  slain.  Ah,  let 
us  thank  our  heavenly  Father  for  the  liberty  and 
security  bought  for  us  at  so  fearful  a  price." 

"Yes,"  responded  Grandma  Elsie;  "and  let 
us  keep  them  for  ourselves  and  our  children 
by  '  the  eternal  vigilance  which  is  the  price  of 
liberty.' " 


208  ELSIE  YACHTING 


CHAPTER  XV. 

To  the  great  delight  of  the  young  people  on 
board  the  "Dolphin"  the  sun  shone  in  a  clear 
sky  the  next  morning. 

Soon  after  breakfast  they  were  all  on  deck,  as 
usual  in  pleasant  weather,  enjoying  the  breeze, 
the  sight  of  passing  vessels,  and  a  distant  view 
of  the  land. 

The  Captain  and  Violet  sat  near  together  with 
the  two  little  ones  playing  about  them,  while 
Grandma  Elsie,  in  a  reclining  chair,  at  no  great 
distance,  seemed  absorbed  in  a  book. 

"  Mamma  is  reading  something  sad,  I  know 
by  the  look  on  her  face,"  said  Walter,  hurrying 
toward  her,  the  others  following.  "  What  is  it 
you  are  reading,  Mamma,  that  makes  you  look 
so  sorry  ?  "  he  asked,  putting  an  arm  about  her 
neck,  and  giving  her  a  kiss.  "  Oh,  that's  Ban 
croft's  History !  " 

"Yes,"  she  said,  "I  was  just  looking  over 
his  account  of  the  battles  of  Lexington  and 
Concord,  and  some  things  he  tells  do  make  me 
sad  though  they  happened  more  than  a  hundred 
years  ago." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  209 

"  Oh,  please  read  them  to  us !  "  pleaded  sev 
eral  young  voices,  all  speaking  at  once. 

"  I  will  give  you  some  passages,"  she  said ; 
"not  the  whole,  because  you  have  already  been 
over  that  ground.  It  is  what  he  tells  of  Isaac 
Davis  that  particularly  interests  me,"  and  she 
began  reading. 

"  At  daybreak  the  minute-men  of  Acton  crowded, 
at  the  drum-beat,  to  the  house  of  Isaac  Davis,  their 
captain,  who  'made  haste  to  be  ready.'  Just  thirty 
years  old,  the  father  of  four  little  ones,  stately  in  his 
person,  a  man  of  few  words,  earnest  even  to  solemnity, 
he  parted  from  his  wife,  saying,  '  Take  good  care  of 
the  children; '  and  while  she  gazed  after  him  with 
resignation,  he  led  off  his  company. 

"  Between  nine  and  ten  the  number  of  Americans  on 
the  rising  ground  above  Concord  Bridge  had  increased 
to  more  than  four  hundred.  Of  these  there  were 
twenty-five  minute-men  from  Bedford,  with  Jonathan 
Wilson  for  their  captain ;  others  were  from  Westford, 
among  them  Thaxter,  a  preacher;  others  from  Lit 
tleton,  from  Carlisle,  and  from  Chelmsford.  The 
Acton  company  came  last  and  formed  on  the  right. 
The  whole  was  a  gathering  not  so  much  of  officers  and 
soldiers  as  of  brothers  and  equals,  of  whom  every  one 
was  a  man  well  known  in  his  village,  observed  in  the 
meeting-house  on  Sundays,  familiar  at  town  meetings 
and  respected  as  a  freeholder  or  a  freeholder's  son.  .  .  . 
*The  Americans  h?d  as  yet  received  only  uncertain 
rumors  of  the  morning's  events  at  Lexington.  At  the 
sight  of  fire  in  the  village,  the  impulse  seized  them  to 
march  into  the  town  for  its  defence.'  But  were  they 


210  ELSIE   YACHTING 

not  subjects  of  the  British  king  ?  Had  not  the  troops 
come  out  in  obedience  to  acknowledged  authorities  ? 
Was  resistance  practicable?  Was  it  justifiable  ?  By 
whom  could  it  be  authorized?  No  union  had  been 
formed,  no  independence  proclaimed,  no  war  declared. 
The  husbandmen  and  mechanics  who  then  stood  on  the 
hillock  by  Concord  river  were  called  on  to  act,  and 
their  action  would  be  war  or  peace,  submission  or  inde 
pendence.  Had  they  doubted  they  must  have  despaired. 
Prudent  statesmanship  would  have  asked  for  time  to 
ponder.  Wise  philosophy  would  have  lost  from  hesita 
tion  the  glory  of  opening  a  new  era  on  mankind.  The 
train-bands  at  Concord  acted  and  God  was  with  them. 

"  The  American  revolution  grew  out  of  the  soul  of 
the  people,  and  was  an  inevitable  result  of  a  living  af 
fection  for  freedom,  which  set  in  motion  harmonious 
effort  as  certainly  as  the  beating  of  the  heart  sends 
warmth  and  color  through  the  system.  The  rustic 
heroes  of  that  hour  obeyed  the  simplest,  the  highest, 
and  the  surest  instincts,  of  which  the  seminal  principle 
existed  in  all  their  countrymen.  From  necessity  they 
were  impelled  toward  independence  and  self  -  direction ; 
this  day  revealed  the  plastic  will  which  was  to  attract 
the  elements  of  a  nation  to  a  centre,  and  by  an  innate 
force  to  shape  its  constitution. 

"  The  officers,  meeting  in  front  of  their  men,  spoke 
a  few  words  with  one  another,  and  went  back  to  their i 
places.  Barrett,  the  colonel,  on  horseback  in  the  rear, 
then  gave  the  order  to  advance,  but  not  to  fire  unless 
attacked.  The  calm  features  of  Isaac  Davis,  of  Acton, 
became  changed;  the  town  school-master  of  Concord, 
who  was  present,  could  never  afterward  find  words 
strong  enough  to  express  how  deeply  his  face  reddened 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  211 

at  the  word  of  command.  'I  have  not  a  man  that  is 
afraid  to  go,'  said  Davis,  looking  at  the  men  of  Acton, 
and  drawing  his  sword,  he  cried,  '  March!  '  His  com 
pany,  being  on  the  right,  led  the  way  toward  the  bridge, 
he  himself  at  their  head,  and  by  his  side  Major  John 
Buttrick,  of  Concord,  with  John  Robinson,  of  West- 
ford,  lieutenant-colonel  in  Prescott's  regiment,  but  on 
this  day  a  volunteer,  without  command. 

"  These  three  men  walked  together  in  front,  followed 
by  minute-men  and  militia,  in  double  file,  trailing 
arms.  They  went  down  the  hillock,  entered  the  by 
road,  came  to  its  angle  with  the  main  road,  and  there 
turned  into  the  causeway  that  led  straight  to  the 
bridge.  The  British  began  to  take  up  the  planks  ;  to 
prevent  it,  the  Americans  quickened  their  step.  At 
this  the  British  fired  one  or  two  shots  up  the  river; 
then  another,  by  which  Luther  Blanchard  and  Jonas 
Brown  were  wounded.  A  volley  followed,  and  Isaac 
Davis  and  Abner  Hosmer  fell  dead.  Three  hours  be 
fore,  Davis  had  bid  his  wife  farewell.  That  afternoon 
he  was  carried  home  and  laid  in  her  bedroom.  His 
countenance  was  pleasant  in  death.  The  bodies  of  two 
others  of  his  company,  who  were  slain  that  day,  were 
brought  to  her  house,  and  the  three  were  followed  to 
the  village  graveyard  by  a  concourse  of  the  neighbors 
from  miles  around.  Heaven  gave  her  length  of  days 
in  the  land  which  his  self-devotion  assisted  to  redeem. 
She  lived  to  see  her  country  reach  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
and  the  Paciric;  when  it  was  grown  great  in  numbers, 
wealth,  and  power,  the  United  States  in  Congress  be 
thought  themselves  to  pay  honors  to  her  husband's 
martyrdom,  and  comfort  her  under  the  double  burden 
o*  sorrow  and  of  more  than  ninety  years." 


212  ELSIE    YACHTING 

"Ninety  years!"  exclaimed  Walter.  "Oh 
what  an  old,  old  woman  she  was  !  I  think  they 
ought  to  have  given  it  to  her  a  great  deal  sooner, 
—  don't  you,  Mamma  ?  " 

"  I  do,  indeed,"  she  replied.  "  What  a  dreadful 
time  it  was  !  The  British  soldiery  behaved  like 
savages  or  demons,  —  burning  houses,  murdering 
innocent  unarmed  people.  One  poor  woman  —  a 
Mrs.  Adams,  ill  in  bed,  with  a  baby  only  a  week 
old  —  was  driven  out  of  her  bed,  out  of  her 
house,  and  had  to  crawl  almost  naked  to  a  corn- 
shed  with  her  little  one  in  her  arms,  while  the 
soldiers  set  fire  to  her  house. 

"  They  shot  and  killed  an  idiot  perched  on  a 
fence  looking  at  them  as  they  passed ;  and  they 
brutally  murdered  two  aged,  helpless,  unarmed 
old  men,  stabbing  them,  breaking  their  skulls  and 
dashing  out  their  brains." 

"  I  don't  wonder  the  Americans  shot  down 
as  many  of  them  as  they  could ! "  exclaimed 
Max,  in  tones  of  hot  indignation.  "  Men  that 
did  such  things  were  not  brave  soldiers,  but  worse 
savages  than  the  Indians.  Oh,  how  I  wish  our 
people  had  had  the  abundance  of  good  weapons 
and  powder  and  balls  that  we  have  now !  Then 
they  'd  have  taught  the  insolent  British  a  good 
lesson ;  they  would  soon  have  driven  Gage  and 
all  his  savage  soldiery  into  the  sea." 

"I  presume  they  would,"  said  Mrs.  Travilla; 
«*  but  poor  fellows  !  they  were  very  destitute  of 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  213 

such  needed  supplies.    This  is  what   Bancroft 
says  about  it :  — 

"  All  the  following  night,  the  men  of  Massachusetts 
streamed  in  from  scores  of  miles  around,  old  men  as 
well  as  young.  They  had  scarce  a  semblance  of 
artillery  or  warlike  stores,  no  powder,  nor  organiza 
tion,  nor  provisions;  but  there  they  were,  thousands 
with  brave  hearts,  determined  to  rescue  the  liberties 
of  their  country. 

"  The  night  preceding  the  outrages  at  Lexington 
there  were  not  fifty  people  in  the  whole  colony  that 
ever  expected  any  blood  would  be  shed  in  the  contest; 
the  night  after,  the  king's  governor  and  the  king's 
army  found  themselves  closely  beleaguered  in  Boston." 

"  Did  the  news  fly  very  fast  all  over  the 
(jountry,  Mamma?"  asked  Walter. 

44  Very  fast  for  those  times,"  she  replied; 
••  *  you  must  remember  that  then  they  had  neither 
railroads  nor  telegraph,  but  as  Bancroft  says, 
*  Heralds  by  swift  relays  transmitted  the  war 
messages  from  hand  to  hand,  till  village  repeated 
it  to  village ;  the  sea  to  the  backwoods ;  the 
plains  to  the  highlands;  and  it  was  never  suf 
fered  to  droop  till  it  had  been  borne  north  and 
south,  east  and  west,  throughout  the  land.' " 

"But  there  wasn't  any  more  fighting  till  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  was  there,  Mamma?" 
Asked  Walter. 

"Yes,"  she  replied,  "  there  was  the  taking  ot 


214  ELSIE   YACHTING 

Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  early  in  May,  by 
a  party  under  the  command  of  Ethan  Allen ; 
there  were  about  a  hundred  '  Green  Mountain 
Boys '  and  nearly  fifty  soldiers  from  Massachu 
setts  besides  the  men  of  Connecticut.  The  thing 
was  planned  in  Connecticut,  and  the  expense 
borne  there.  , 

"  Allen  marched  in  the  night  to  the  shore  of 
the  lake  opposite  to  Ticonderoga.  A  farmer 
named  Beman  offered  his  son  Nathan  as  a  guide, 
saying  that  he  (the  lad)  had  been  used  to  playing 
about  the  fort  with  the  boys  of  the  garrison,  and 
knew  of  every  secret  way  leading  into  it. 

"Allen  accepted  the  offer,  but  there  was  a 
difficulty  about  getting  boats  in  which  to  cross 
the  lake.  They  had  but  few  and  day  began  to 
dawn.  If  the  garrison  should  be  aroused  their 
expedition  was  likely  to  fail,  for  a  great  deal 
depended  upon  taking  them  by  surprise ;  so 
Allen  decided  not  to  wait  for  the  rear  division 
to  cross,  but  to  make  the  attempt  with  the  offi 
cers  and  eighty-three  men  who  were  already  on 
that  side.  He  drew  up  his  men  in  three  ranks 
on  the  shore  and  made  them  a  little  speech  in 
a  low  tone :  '  Friends  and  fellow-soldiers,  we 
must  this  morning  quit  our  pretensions  to  valour, 
or  possess  ourselves  of  this  fortress ;  and  inas 
much  as  it  is  a  desperate  attempt,  I  do  not  urge 
it  on,  contrary  to  will.  You  tha*  will  uuder*.ak«» 
voluntarily,  poise  your  firelock  ' 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  215 

"  Instantly  every  firelock  was  poised.  *  Face 
to  the  right ! '  he  cried,  putting  himself  at 
their  head,  Benedict  Arnold  close  at  his  side, 
and  they  marched  quietly  and  steadily  up  to 
the  gate. 

"  The  sentinel  there  snapped  his  fusee  at  Allen, 
but  it  missed  fire,  and  he  retreated  within  the 
fort.  The  Americans  rushed  in  after  him,  an 
other  sentinel  made  a  thrust  at  one  of  them,  but 
they  ran  upon  the  guard,  raising  the  Indian  war- 
whoop,  Allen  giving  the  sentinel  a  blow  upon 
the  head  with  his  sword  that  made  him  beg  for 
quarter. 

"  Of  course  the  shout  of  our  men  had  roused 
the  garrteon ;  and  they  sprang  from  their  beds, 
and  came  rushing  out  only  to  be  made  prisoners. 

"  Then  young  Beman  guided  Allen  to  the  door 
of  the  sleeping  apartment  of  Delaplace,  the  com 
mander.  The  loud  shout  of  the  Americans  had 
waked  him  and  his  wife,  and  both  sprang  to  the 
door  as  Allen  gave  three  loud  raps  upon  it  with 
his  sword  and  thundered  out  an  order  for  the 
commander  to  appear  if  he  would  n't  have  his 
whole  garrison  sacrificed. 

"  Delaplace  threw  open  the  door,  showing  him 
self  only  half  dressed,  in  shut  and  drawers,  with 
his  pretty  wife  standing  behind  him  peering  over 
his  shoulder.  He  immediately  recognized  Allen, 
for  they  were  old  friends,  and  assuming  an  ait 
of  authority,  demanded  his  errand. 


216  ELSIE   YACHTING 

11  Allen  pointed  to  his  men  and  said  sternly, 
4 1  order  you  instantly  to  surrender.' 

"  '  By  what  authority  do  you  demand  it? '  asked 
Delaplace. 

"  '  In  the  name  of  the  Great  Jehovah  and  the 
Continental  Congress,'  thundered  Allen,  and 
raising  his  sword  over  his  prisoner's  head,  com 
manded  him  to  be  silent,  and  surrender  imme 
diately. 

"  Delaplace  saw  that  it  was  useless  to  refuse, 
so  surrendered,  ordered  his  men  to  parade  with 
out  arms,  and  gave  them  up  as  prisoners.  There 
were  forty-eight  of  them ;  and  they,  with  the 
women  and  children,  were  sent  to  Hartford  as 
prisoners  of  war." 

"  And  what  did  our  men  get  besides  the  sol 
diers  and  women  and  children,  Mamma  ?  "  asked 
Walter. 

"Cannon,  and  guns  of  various  kinds,  other 
munitions  of  war,  a  quantity  of  provisions  and 
material  for  boat  building,  and  so  forth,  besides 
the  fortress  itself,  which  Bancroft  says  had  '  cost 
the  British  nation  eight  millions  sterling,  a  suc 
cession  of  campaigns,  and  many  lives,  yet  was 
won  in  ten  minutes  by  a  few  undisciplined  volun 
teers,  without  the  loss  of  life  or  limb.' " 

"  Oh,  that  was  the  very  best  of  it,  I  think," 
said  Gracie.  "  War  would  n't  be  so  very,  very 
dreadful  if  it  was  all  like  that,  —  would  it,  Grand« 
ma  Elsie?" 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  217 

"  No  dear,"  Mrs.  Travilla  replied,  smiling  lov 
ingly  upon  the  little  girl,  and  softly  smoothing 
her  golden  curls. 

"  Was  there  any  other  fighting  before  the  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill,  Mamma  ?  "  queried  "Walter. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  there  were  some  encounters 
along  this  New  England  coast." 

"  And  Crown  Point  was  taken  too,  —  was  n't 
it,  Mamma?"  asked  Rosie. 

"  Ah,  yes !  I  had  forgotten  that  part  of  my 
story,"  replied  her  mother.  "  It  was  taken  two 
days  later  than  Ticonderoga,  also  without  any 
bloodshed.  About  the  same  time  that  Ticonde 
roga  was  taken,  there  was  a  British  ship  called  the 
4  Canceaux '  in  the  harbour  of  Portland.  The  cap 
tain's  name  was  Mowat.  On  the  llth  of  May 
he  and  two  of  his  officers  were  on  shore,  when  a 
party  of  sixty  men  from  Georgetown  seized  them. 

"  The  officer  who  had  been  left  in  command  of 
the  vessel  threatened  what  he  would  do  if  they 
were  not  released,  and  even  began  to  bombard 
the  town.  Mowat  was  released  at  a  late  hojur, 
but  felt  angry  and  revengeful,  and  succeeded  in 
rousing  the  same  sort  of  feeling  in  the  admiral 
of  the  station. 

"A  month  later  the  people  of  a  town  called 
Machias  seized  the  captain  of  two  sloops  that 
had  come  into  their  harbour  to  be  freighted  with 
lumber,  and  convoyed  by  a  king's  cutter  called 
the  *  Margaretta.'  The  lumber  was  for  the  British 


ELSIE   YACHTING 

army  at  Boston,  and  they,  the  Americans,  got 
possession  of  the  sloops,  after  taking  the  captain, 
whom  they  seized  in  the  '  meeting-house.'  The 
*  Margaretta '  did  n't  fire  on  the  town,  but  slipped 
away  down  the  harbour  in  the  dark  that  night, 
and  the  next  morning  sailed  out  to  sea. 

"  Then  forty  men,  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
Jeremiah  O'Brien,  pursued  her  in  one  of  the  cap 
tured  sloops,  and  as  she  was  a  dull  sailer,  soon 
overtook  her.  An  obstinate  sea-fight  followed ; 
the  captain  of  the  cutter  was  mortally  wounded, 
six  of  his  men  not  so  badly,  and  after  an  hour's 
fight  the  '  Margaretta's '  flag  was  struck.  It  was 
the  first  time  the  British  flag  was  struck  on  the 
ocean  to  Americans." 

"  But  not  the  last  by  any  means  ! "  cried  Max, 
exultantly;  "whatever  may  be  said  of  our  land 
forces,  America  has  always  shown  herself  supe 
rior  to  Great  Britain  on  the  sea.  I  'm  very  proud 
of  the  fact  that  though  at  the  beginning  of  the 
last  war  with  England  we  had  but  twenty  vessels 
(exclusive  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  gun-boats), 
while  England  had  ten  hundred  and  sixty,  we 
whipped  her." 

"  Quite  true,  Max,"  Mrs.  Travilla  said,  smil 
ing  at  the  boy's  ardent  patriotism,  "  and  I  am  as 
proud  of  the  achievements  of  our  navy  as  you 
can  be ;  but  let  us  give  all  the  glory  to  God 
who  helped  the  oppressed  in  their  hard  struggle 
against  their  unjust  and  cruel  oppressor." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  219 

«*  Yes,  ma'am,  I  know,"  he  answered ;  "  Amer 
ica  was  most  shamefully  oppressed,  and  it  was 
only  by  God's  help  that  she  succeeded  in  putting 
a  stop  to  the  dreadful  treatment  of  her  poor 
sailors.  Just  to  think  of  the  insolent  way  the 
British  naval  officers  used  to  have  of  boarding 
our  vessels  and  carrying  off  American-born  men, 
who  loved  their  own  country  and  wanted  to  serve 
her,  and  forcing  them  even  to  serve  against  her, 
fairly  makes  my  blood  boil !  "  Max  had  in  his 
excitement  unconsciously  raised  his  voice  so  that 
his  words  reached  his  father's  ear. 

The  captain  looked  smilingly  at  Violet,  "  My 
boy  is  an  ardent  patriot,"  he  said  in  a  pleased 
tone.  "  Should  we  ever  have  another  war  (which 
Heaven  forbid !),  I  hope  he  will  do  his  country 
good  service." 

"  I  am  sure  he  will  if  he  lives  to  see  that  day," 
returned  Violet ;  "  but  I  agree  with  you  in  hop 
ing  the  need  of  such  service  will  never  arise." 

"  But  let  us  always  remember,"  Evelyn  said 
in  reply  to  Max,  "  that  those  cruel,  unjust  deeds, 
and  the  feelings  that  prompted  them,  were  not 
those  of  the  English  people,  but  of  their  Govern 
ment  and  the  aristocracy,  —  I  suppose  because 
of  their  hatred  of  republicanism,  their  desire  to 
keep  the  masses  of  the  people  down,  and  them 
selves  rich  and  powerful." 

"  Yes,"  said  Rosie,  "  it  was  just  pure  pride 
and  selfishness,  lliey  did  n't  like  the  doctrine  of 


220  ELSIE   YACHTING 

our  Declaration  of  Independence  that  *  all  men 
are  created  equal.'" 

Mrs.  Travilla  was  turning  over  the  leaves  of 
her  book  again. 

"  Mamma,"  said  Walter,  "  have  n't  you  some 
thing  more  to  read  to  us  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  and  began  at  once. 

"  On  the  ninth  (of  June)  the  '  Falcon,'  a  British 
sloop  of  war,  was  seen  from  Cape  Ann  in  chase  of 
two  schooners  bound  to  Salem.  One  of  these  was 
taken ;  a  fair  wind  wafted  the  other  into  Gloucester 
harbor.  Linzee,  the  captain  of  the  '  Falcon,'  followed 
with  his  prize,  and,  after  anchoring,  sent  his  lieuten 
ant  and  thirty-six  men  in  a  whale-boat  and  two 
barges  to  bring  under  his  bow  the  schooner  that  had 
escaped. 

"As  the  barge  men  boarded  her  at  her  cabin  win 
dows,  men  from  the  shore  fired  on  them,  killing  three 
and  wounding  the  lieutenant  in  the  thigh.  Linzee 
sent  his  prize  and  a  cutter  to  cannonade  the  town. 
They  did  little  injury ;  while  the  Gloucester  men, 
With  the  loss  of  but  two,  took  both  schooners,  the 
barges,  and  every  man  in  them,  Linzee  losing  half  his 
crew." 

"  How  vexed  he  must  have  been !  "  laughed 
Lulu.  "  Did  he  ever  go  back  to  take  revenge, 
Grandma  Elsie  ?  " 

"  No,  I  think  not,"  she  said,  "  though  Gage 
and  the  British  admiral  planned  to  do  so,  and 
also  to  wreak  vengeance  on  the  people  of  Port- 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  221 

land,  —  then  called  Falmouth,  —  where,  as  you 
probably  remember,  Mowat  had  been  held  pris 
oner  for  a  few  hours  in  May  of  that  same 
year. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  October  Mowat 
again  appeared  in  their  harbour  in  command  of 
a  ship  of  sixteen  guns,  attended  by  three  other 
vessels,  and  at  half-past  nine  in  the  morning 
began  firing  upon  the  town. 

"  In  five  minutes  several  houses  were  in  a 
blaze ;  then  a  party  of  marines  landed  and 
spread  the  conflagration.  He  burned  down  about 
three  fourths  of  the  town,  —  a  hundred  and  thirty 
dwelling-houses,  the  public  buildings,  and  a 
church,  —  and  shattered  the  rest  of  the  houses 
with  balls  and  shells.  The  English  account 
makes  the  destruction  still  greater.  So  far  north 
winter  begins  early,  and  it  was  just  at  the  begin 
ning  of  a  severe  one  that  he  thus  turned  the  poor 
people  of  that  town  out  of  house  and  home  into 
the  cold,  in  poverty  and  misery." 

"  That  was  a  Christian  deed  worthy  of  a 
Christian  king,"  remarked  Rosie,  scornfully. 

"  Bancroft  says,"  continued  her  mother,  "  that 
the  indignation  of  Washington  was  kindled  by 
4  these  savage  cruelties,  this  new  exertion  of  des 
potic  barbarity.'  General  Green  said,  '  Death 
and  destruction  mark  the  footsteps  of  the  enemy  ; 
fight  or  be  slaves  is  the  American  motto.'  " 

"And  who  wouldn't    rather  fight    and    die 


222  ELSIE   YACHTING 

fighting,  than  be  a  slave?"  cried  Max,  Ms  eyes 
flashing.  "Grandma  Elsie,"  he  said,  "you 
have  n't  told  us  a  word  about  the  American  navy. 
Did  n't  they  begin  one  about  that  time  ?  " 

"I  think  they  did,  Max,"  was  her  reply; 
"  but  suppose  we  call  upon  your  father  to  tell 
us  about  it.  He  is  doubtless  better  informed 
than  I  in  everything  relating  to  that  branch  of 
the  service." 

"Papa,  will  you?"  asked  the  lad,  turning 
toward  the  Captain  and  raising  his  voice  a  little. 

"  Will  I  do  what,  my  son?  " 

"Tell  us  about  the  doings  of  the  navy  in 
Revolutionary  times,  sir,"  replied  Max,  "  AS 
Grandma  Elsie  has  been  telling  of  the  fights 
on  land." 

"Oh,  do,  Papa;  won't  you?"  pleaded  Lulu, 
hastening  to  his  side,  the  other  girls  and  Walter 
following,  while  Max  gallantly  offered  to  move 
Grandma  Elsie's  chair  nearer  to  his  father  and 
Violet,  which  she  allowed  him  to  do,  thanking 
him  with  one  of  her  rarely  sweet  smiles. 


WITH  TEE  RAYMONDS.  223 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  Captain,  gently  putting  aside  the  two  lit- 
tie  ones  who  were  hanging  lovingly  about  him, 
saw  every  one  seated  comfortably,  and  near 
enough  to  hear  all  he  might  say,  then  resuming 
his  own  seat,  began  the  account  they  had  asked 
for  of  the  early  doings  of  the  embryo  navy  of 
their  common  country. 

*'  We  had  no  navy  at  all  when  the  Revolution 
ary  War  began,"  he  said.  "  Rhode  Island,  the 
smallest  State  in  the  Union,  was  the  first  of  the 
colonies  to  move  in  the  matter  of  building  and 
equipping  a  Continental  fleet.  On  October  3, 
1775,  its  delegates  laid  before  Congress  the  in 
structions  they  had  received  to  do  what  they 
could  to  have  that  work  begun. 

"  They  met  with  great  opposition  there ;  but 
John  Adams  was  very  strongly  in  its  favour,  and 
did  for  it  all  in  his  power. 

"  On  the  5th  of  October,  Washington  was  au 
thorized  to  employ  two  armed  vessels  to  inter 
cept    British    store-ships,    bound    for    Quebec*, 
on  the  13th,  two  armed  vessels,  of  ten  and  of 
fourteen  guns,  were  voted ;  and  seventeen  daya 


224  LLSIE  YACHTING 

later,  two  others  of  thirty-six  guns.  That  was 
the  beginning  of  our  navy ;  and  it  was  very 
necessary  we  should  have  one  to  protect  our 
seaport  towns  and  destroy  the  English  ships  sent 
against  us,  also  to  make  it  more  difficult  and 
hazardous  for  them  to  bring  over  new  levies  of 
troops  to  deprive  us  of  our  liberties,  and  from 
using  their  vessels  to  destroy  our  merchantmen, 
and  so  put  an  end  to  our  commerce. 

"  Rhode  Island  had  bold  and  skilful  seamen, 
some  of  whom  had  had  something  to  do  with 
British  ships  before  the  war  began,  —  even  as 
early  as  1772. 

"  In  that  year  there  was  a  British  armed 
schooner  called  the '  Gaspee,'  in  Narragansett  Bay, 
sent  there  to  enforce  obnoxious  British  laws. 

"  Its  officers  behaved  in  so  tyrannical  a  manner 
toward  the  Americans  of  the  neighbourhood  that 
at  length  they  felt  it  quite  unbearable  ;  and  one 
dark,  stormy  night  in  June,  Capt.  Abraham 
Whipple,  a  veteran  sailor,  with  some  brother 
seamen,  went  down  the  bay  in  open  whale-boats, 
set  the  '  Gaspee '  on  fire,  and  burned  her. 

"  The  British  Government  of  course  wanted  to 
punish  them,  but  all  engaged  in  the  work  of 
destruction  were  so  true  to  each  other  that  it 
was  impossible  to  find  out  who  they  were ;  but 
three  years  later  —  in  1775,  the  year  that  the  war 
began  —  the  bay  was  blockaded  by  an  English 
frigate,  and  in  some  way  her  commander  learned 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  225 

that  Whipple  had  been  the  leader  of  the  men 
who  destroyed  the  '  Gaspee.'  He  then  wrote 
him  a  note." 

"You,  Abraham  Whipple,  on  the  seventeenth  of 
June  1772,  burnt  his  Majesty's  vessel  the  '  Gaspee,' 
and  I  will  hang  you  to  the  yard-arm." 

"  Whipple  replied  with  a  note." 
To  Sir  James  Wallace: 

SIR,  —  Always  catch  a  man  before  you  hang  him. 

ABRAHAM  WHIPPLB. 

"Good!"  laughed  Max;  "and  I  think  he 
never  did  catch  him,  — did  he,  Papa?" 

"  No,  though  he  made  every  effort  to  do  so, 
being  greatly  angered  by  the  impudent  reply." 

"But  you  don't  blame  "Whipple  for  answer 
ing  him  in  that  way,  —  do  you,  Papa? "  queried 
Lulu. 

"  I  can't  say  that  I  do,"  her  father  said  with 
a  slight  smile.  "  And  I  think  the  legislature  of 
Rhode  Island  did  a  right  and  wise  thing  in  fitting 
out  two  armed  vessels  to  drive  Sir  James  and 
his  frigate  out  of  Narragansett  Bay,  giving  the 
command  of  them,  and  thus  the  honour  of  firing 
the  first  gun  in  the  naval  service  of  the  Revolu 
tion,  to  Captain  Whipple." 

"  Oh,  that  was  splendid !  "  cried  several  young 
voices. 

"That  gave  Washington  a  hint,"  continued 
15 


226  ELSIE   YACHTING 

the  Captain,  "  and  he  authorized  the  fitting  out 
of  several  vessels  as  privateers,  manning  them 
with  these  sailor-soldiers." 

"  What  is  a  privateer,  Papa?"  asked  Gracie. 

"  A  vessel  belonging  to  some  private  person, 
or  to  more  than  one,  sailing  in  time  of  war,  with 
a  license  from  Government  to  seize,  plunder,  and 
destroy  the  vessels  of  the  enemy,  and  any  goods 
they  may  carry,  wherever  found  afloat." 

"  And  how  do  they  differ  from  transports, 
brother  Levis  ?  "  asked  Eosie. 

"Transports  are  vessels  used  for  the  carrying 
of  troops,  stores,  and  materials  of  war,"  he 
answered. 

"Did  they  do  their  work  well,  Captain?" 
asked  Evelyn. 

"  Some  did,  and  some  did  not,"  he  answered. 
"The  most  successful  was  Capt.  John  Manly, 
who  had  been  thirty  years,  or  nearly  that,  on  the 
sea.  He  was  a  skilful  fisherman  of  Marblehead, 
and  Washington  commissioned  him  as  captain. 

"  He  was  doubtless  well  acquainted  with  the 
qualifications  of  the  sailors  of  that  part  of  the 
coast,  and  knew  how  to  select  a  choice  crew  ,  at 
all  events  he  was  very  successful  in  annoying  the 
enemy,  and  soon  had  captured  three  ships  as  they 
entered  Boston  Harbour.  One  of  them  was  laden 
with  just  such  things  as  were  badly  needed  by  the 
Americans,  then  besieging  Boston,  —  heavy  guns, 
mortars,  and  intrenching  tools. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  227 

"  Manly  became  a  terror  to  the  British,  and 
they  tried  hard  to  catch  him." 

"  If  they  had,  I  suppose  they  'd  have  hung  him," 
remarked  Lulu,  half  inquiringly. 

"  No  doubt  they  would  have  been  glad  to  do 
so,"  her  father  replied.  "  They  sent  out  an 
armed  •  schooner  from  Halifax  to  take  him  ;  but 
he  was  too  wary  and  skilful  a  commander  to  be 
easily  caught,  and  he  went  on  roaming  along  the 
seacoast  of  New  England,  taking  prize  after 
prize  from  among  the  British  ships." 

"What  was  the  name  of  his  vessel,  Papa?" 
asked  Max. 

"  The  '  Lee.'  It  was  not  long  before  Congress 
created  a  navy,  and  Manly  was  appointed  a  cap 
tain  in  it.  He  did  gallant  service  until  he  was 
taken  prisoner  by  Sir  George  Collier  in  the 
*  Rainbow.' " 

"Did  they  hang  him,  Papa?"  asked  Grade, 
with  a  look  of  distress. 

' '  No ;  he  was  kept  a  prisoner,  first  on  that 
vessel,  then  in  Mill  prison,  Halifax,  exchanged  af 
ter  a  while,  then  again  taken  prisoner  while  in 
command  of  the  '  Pomona/  held  a  prisoner  at  Bar- 
bacloes,  but  made  his  escape  and  took  command 
of  the  privateer  '  Jason.'  He  was  afterward  at 
tacked  by  two  privateers,  ran  in  between  them, 
giving  both  a  broadside  at  once  and  making  them 
strike  their  colours. 

"  Later  he  was  chased  by  a  British  seventy- 


228  ELSIE   YACHTING 

four,  and  to  escape  capture  ran  his  ship  aground 
on  a  sand-bar;  afterward  he  succeeded  in  get 
ting  her  off,  fired  thirteen  guns  as  a  defiance,  and 
made  his  escape." 

"  Please  tell  us  some  more,  brother  Levis," 
urged  Walter,  as  the  Captain  paused  in  his  narra 
tive;  "we'd  be  glad  to  hear  all  the  doings  of 
our  navy." 

"  That  would  make  a  long  story  indeed,  my 
boy,"  the  Captain  said  with  a  smile ;  "  longer 
than  could  be  told  in  one  day  or  two.  I  will 
try  to  relate  some  few  more  occurrences  of  par 
ticular  interest ;  and  I  advise  you  all  to  consult 
history  on  the  subject  after  we  get  home.  The 
coming  winter  will  be  a  good  time  for  that. 

"  In  October,  1775,  as  I  have  already  said, 
Congress  resolved  that  a  swift  sailing-vessel,  to 
carry  ten  carriage-guns  and  an  appropriate  num 
ber  of  swivels,  should  be  fitted  out  for  a  cruise 
of  three  months  for  the  purpose  of  intercepting 
British  transports.  They  also  formed  a  Marine 
Committee  consisting  of  seven  members,  and 
ordered  another  vessel  to  be  built,  —  the  Marine 
Committee  performing  the  duties  now  falling  to 
the  share  of  our  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

Later  in  that  same  year  Congress  ordered  thir 
teen  more  vessels  to  be  built.  They  were  the 
*  Washington,' '  Randolph,' '  Warren,' '  Hancock," 
'  Raleigh,'  each  carrying  thirty-two  guns  ;  the  *  Ef« 
fingham/  '  Delaware/ '  Boston/  '  Virginia,' '  Prov 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  229 

idence,'  '  Montgomery,'  '  Congress  '  and '  Trum- 
ble  ; '  some  of  these  were  armed  with  twenty-eight, 
others  with  twenty-four  guns." 

"  They  made  Abraham  Whipple  captain  of  one, 

—  did  n't  they,  Papa  ?  "  asked  Max. 

**  Yes  ;  Nicholas  Biddle,  Dudly  Saltonstall  and 
John  B.  Hopkins  captains  of  the  others,  and 
Esek  Hopkins  commander-in-chief.  He  was 
considered  as  holding  about  the  same  rank 
in  the  navy  that  Washington  did  in  the  army, 
and  was  styled  indifferently  admiral  or  com 
modore. 

"Among  the  first  lieutenants  appointed  was 
John  Paul  Jones,  who  became  a  famous  com 
mander  before  the  war  was  over,  —  a  great 
naval  hero.  But  you  have  all  heard  of  him  I 
think." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Rosie.  "  It  was  he  who  com 
manded  the  '  Bonhomme  Richard '  in  that  hard- 
fought  battle  with  the  British  ship  '  Serapis.'  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Captain.  «'  It  was  one 
of  the  most  desperate  conflicts  on  record,  and 
resulted  in  victory  for  Jones  and  the  '  Bonhomme 
Richard,'  though  she  was  so  badly  damaged, 
— '  counters  and  quarters  driven  in,  all  her 
lower-deck  guns  dismounted,  on  fire  in  two 
places,  and  six  or  seven  feet  of  water  in  the  hold* 

—  that  she  had  to  be  abandoned,  and  sank  the 
next  morning. 

M  Pearson  the  captain  of  the  *  Serapis,'  though 


230  ELSIE  YACHTING 

defeated,  had  made  so  gallant  a  fight  that  he  was 
knighted  by  the  king.  When  Jones  heard  of  it 
he  said,  '  He  deserves  it ;  and  if  I  fall  in  with  him 
again  I  '11  make  a  lord  of  him.' 

"  I  think  he  —  Pearson  —  was  more  gallant  than 
polite  or  generous  ;  for  on  offering  his  sword  to 
Jones  after  his  surrender  he  said,  '  I  cannot,  sir, 
but  feel  much  mortification  at  the  idea  of  sur 
rendering  my  sword  to  a  man  who  has  fought 
me  with  a  rope  round  his  neck.'" 

"  Just  like  an  Englishman !  "  exclaimed  Max, 
hotly ;  "  byiit  what  did  Jones  say  in  reply, 
Papa?" 

"  He  returned  the  sword,  saying,  '  You  have 
fought  gallantly,  sir,  and  I  hope  your  king  will 
give  you  a  better  ship. ' ] 

"  That  was  a  gentlemanly  reply,"  said  Lulu, 
"  and  I  hope  Jones  got  the  credit  he  deserved 
for  his  splendid  victory." 

"  Europe  and  America  rang  with  his  praises,'* 
said  her  father.  "  The  Empress  of  Russia  gave 
him  the  ribbon  of  St.  Ann,  the  King  of  Den 
mark  a  pension,  and  the  King  of  France  a  gold- 
mounted  sword  with  the  words  engraved  upon 
its  blade,  '  Louis  XVI.,  rewarder  of  the  valiant 
assertor  of  the  freedom  of  the  sea.'  He  also 
made  him  a  Knight  of  the  Order  of  Merit. 

"  Nothing  ever  occurred  afterward  to  dim  his 
fame,  and  he  is  known  in  history  as  the  Chevalier 
John  Paul  Jones." 


WITH   THE  RAYMOND.  231 

Just  here  a  passing  vessel  attracted  the  at 
tention  of  the  captain  and  the  others,  and  it 
was  not  until  some  hours  later  that  the  conver 
sation  in  regard  to  the  doings  of  the  navy  was 
resumed. 


232  ELSIE   YACHTINQ 


CHAPTER  XVTL 

TOWARD  evening  the  young  people  again  gath 
ered  about  the  captain,  asking  that  his  story  of 
naval  exploits  might  be  continued. 

"  I  am  not  sure,"  he  said  pleasantly,  "  that  to 
recount  naval  exploits  is  the  wisest  thing  I  can 
do ;  it  stirs  my  blood,  and  revives  the  old  love 
for  the  service." 

"  Oh,  Papa,  please  don't  ever,  ever  go  back  to 
your  ship  and  leave,  us ! "  exclaimed  Gracie, 
tears  starting  to  her  eyes  at  the  very  thought. 

"  I  am  not  at  all  sure  that  I  would  be  ac 
cepted  should  I  offer  my  services  again,  my 
darling,"  he  answered,  drawing  her  into  his  arms 
and  caressing  her  tenderly;  "  but  really  I  have 
no  serious  thought  of  so  doing." 

"  Oh,  I  'm  glad  of  that,  you  dear  Papa !  "  she 
said  with  a  sigh  of  relief,  putting  her  arm  about 
his  neck  and  kissing  him  with  ardent  affection. 

"  So  am  I,"  said  Lulu.  "  I  don't  know  what 
I  would  n't  rather  have  happen  than  to  be  parted 
again  for  months  and  maybe  years  from  my 
dear  father." 

A  loving  look  was  his  reply  as  he  drew  her 
to  his  other  side  and  caressed  her  with  equal 
tenderness. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  233 

At  that  little  Elsie  came  running  toward 
them.  "Me  too,  Papa,"  she  said,  "kiss  me 
too,  and  let  me  sit  on  your  knee  while  you  tell 
'bout  things  that  happened  a  long  while  ago." 

"  Yes,  the  baby  girl  has  the  best  right  to  sit 
on  Papa's  knee  when  she  wants  to,"  said  Lulu, 
good-naturedly  making  way  for  the  little  one. 

A  loving  look  and  smile  from  her  father  as  he 
lifted  the  baby  girl  to  the  coveted  seat  and  gave 
her  the  asked  for  caress,  amply  rewarded  her 
little  act  of  self-denial. 

"  I  cannot  begin  to  tell  you  to-day  all  the  ex 
ploits  of  our  navy  even  during  the  first  war  with 
England,"  the  Captain  said  ;  "  you  will  have  to 
read  the  history  for  yourselves,  and  I  trust  will 
enjoy  doing  so,  but  I  shall  try  to  relate  some  of 
the  more  prominent  incidents  in  a  way  to  enter 
tain  you." 

"  What  kind  of  flag  did  our  naval  vessels 
carry  at  the  beginning  of  the  Revolutionary  War, 
Captain?"  asked  Evelyn.  "  It  was  not  till  1777, 
if  my  memory  serves  me  right,  that  our  present 
flag  was  adopted  by  Congress." 

"  You  are  quite  right,"  the  Captain  said,  "  and 
up  to  that  time  each  vessel  of  the  little  Conti 
nental  navy  carried  one  of  her  own  choosing  ;  or 
rather  each  commander  was  allowed  to  choose  a 
device  to  suit  himself.  It  is  claimed  for  John 
Paul  Jones  that  he  raised  with  his  own  hands 
the  first  flag  of  a  regular  American  cruiser.  The 


234  ELSIE   YACHTING 

vessel  was  Hopkins's  flag-ship  the  *  Alfred.'  It 
was  at  Philadelphia,  early  in  1776  the  banner 
was  raised.  It  had  a  white  field,  with  the  words 
'  Liberty  Tree  '  in  the  centre  above  a  representa 
tion  of  a  pine  tree ;  beneath  were  the  words, 
'Appeal  to  God.'" 

"Yes,  sir;  but  didn't  some  one  about  that 
time  raise  a  flag  composed  of  thirteen  stripes  ?  " 
queried  Eva. 

"  Quite  true,"  replied  the  Captain,  "  and 
across  it  a  rattlesnake ;  underneath  that,  the 
words,  '  Don't  Tread  On  Me.' 

' '  Both  Continental  vessels  and  privateers  were 
very  successful,  and  by  mid-summer  of  1776  they 
had  captured  more  than  five  hundred  British 
soldiers.  There  was  a  Captain  Conyngham,  a 
brave  and  skilful  seaman,  who  sailed  from  Dun 
kirk  in  May,  1777,  in  the  brig  '  Surprise,'  under 
one  of  the  commissions  which  Franklin  carried 
with  him  to  France  for  army  and  navy  officers. 
(Those  of  you  who  have  studied  geography  will, 
I  suppose,  remember  that  Dunkirk  is  in  the 
north  of  France.)  Conyngham  was  very  suc 
cessful  ;  had  in  a  few  days  captured  the  British 
packet  ship  '  Prince  of  Orange  '  and  a  brig,  and 
returned  with  them  to  Dunkirk.  The  English 
ambassador  at  Paris  complained  very  strongly, 
and  to  appease  the  wrath  of  the  English,  the 
French  Government  put  the  captain  and  his  crew 
in  prison." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  235 

"  Oh,  what  a  shame  !  "  cried  Lulu. 

Her  father  smiled  slightly  at  that.  "They 
were  not  kept  there  very  long,"  he  said,  "  but 
were  soon  released,  and  Conyngham  allowed  to 
fit  out  another  cruiser,  called  the  '  Revenge.'  " 

"  A  very  suitable  name,"  laughed  Max. 

"Yes,"  assented  his  father,  and  went  on  with 
his  history.  "  The  British  Government  had  sent 
two  vessels  to  arrest  Conyngham  and  his  men 
as  pirates,  but  when  they  reached  Dunkirk  he 
had  already  sailed.  Had  the  British  succeeded 
in  taking  them,  they  would  no  doubt  have  been 
hanged  as  pirates  ;  for  both  Government  and  peo 
ple  of  Great  Britain  were  at  that  time  much  ex 
asperated  by  the  blows  Americans  were  dealing 
their  dearest  interest,  commerce.  The  Revenge  ' 
was  doing  so  much  injury,  —  making  prizes  of 
merchantmen,  and  so  putting  money  into  the 
hands  of  the  American  commissioners  for  public 
use,  —  that  the  British  were  at  their  wit's  end ;  the 
people  in  the  seaports  were  greatly  alarmed,  and 
insurance  on  cargoes  went  up  to  twenty-five  per 
cent.  Some  of  the  British  merchants  sent  out 
their  goods  in  French  vessels  for  greater  se 
curity,  —  so  many  of  them,  in  fact,  that  at  one 
time  there  were  forty  French  vessels  together  in 
the  Thames  taking  in  cargoes. 

"  At  that  time  British  transports  were  engaged 
in  carrying  German  troops  across  the  Atlantic  to 
fight  the  Americans.  Conyngham  was  on  the 


236  ELSIE   YACHTING 

look-out  for  these,  but  did  not  succeed  in  meet* 
ing  with  any  of  them." 

"  Such  a  despicable  business  as  it  was  for 
George  III.  to  hire  those  fellows  to  fight  the 
people  here!"  exclaimed  Max.  "I  wish  Con- 
yngham  had  caught  some  of  them.  Papa,  did  n't 
he  at  one  time  disguise  his  ship  and  take  her  into 
an  English  port  to  refit  ?  " 

"  So  it  is  said,"  replied  the  Captain  ;  "  it  was 
for  repairs,  after  a  storm.  It  is  said  also  that 
he  obtained  supplies  at  one  time  in  an  Irish 
port." 

"  Did  n't  British  ships  take  ours  sometimes, 
Papa?"  asked  Grace. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  victory  was  not  always 
on  the  side  of  the  Americans.  The  fast-sailing 
British  frigates  captured  many  privateersmen  and 
merchantmen,  and  considering  their  great  supe 
riority  of  numbers  it  would  have  been  strange 
indeed  had  that  not  been  the  case.  The  war  on 
the  ocean  was  very  destructive  to  both  parties  ; 
yet  the  Americans  were,  with  reason,  amazed  and 
delighted  with  their  measure  of  success,  astonish 
ing  in  proportion  to  the  odds  against  them. 

"During  that  year  —  1776  —  they  had  cap 
tured  three  hundred  and  forty  British  vessels ; 
four  had  been  burned,  forty-five  recaptured,  and 
eighteen  released. 

"  It  was  in  the  fall  of  that  year  that  Benedict 
Arnold  commanded  some  stirring  naval  operations 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  237 

on  Lake  Champlain.  In  the  previous  spring  the 
British  had  made  preparations  to  invade  the 
Champlain  and  Hudson  valleys,  hoping  thus  to 
effect  a  separation  between  New  England  and  the 
other  colonies  which  would  naturally  make  it  an 
easier  task  to  conquer  both  sections. 

"  To  ward  off  that  threatened  danger  the 
Americans  holding  Ticonderoga  and  Crown 
Point  —  both  on  the  lake  as  you  will  remem 
ber —  constructed  a  small  squadron,  the  com 
mand  of  which  was  given  to  Arnold,  who  knew 
more  about  naval  affairs  than  any  other  available 
person.  Three  schooners,  one  sloop,  and  five 
gondolas  were  armed  and  manned,  and  with  this 
little  squadron  Arnold  sailed  down  to  the  foot  of 
the  lake  and  made  observations. 

"In  the  mean  time  the  British  had  heard  of 
what  was  going  on,  and  they,  too,  had  prepared 
a  small  squadron  on  the  river  Sorel,  the  outlet  of 
the  lake.  Their  navy  consisted  of  twenty-four 
gun-boats,  each  armed  with  a  field-piece  or  car 
riage-gun,  and  a  large  flat-bottomed  boat  called 
the  '  Thunderer,'  carrying  heavy  guns. 

u  It  was  not  till  the  middle  of  October  that  the 
fight  took  place.  Arnold,  with  his  flotilla,  was 
then  lying  between  the  western  shore  of  the  lake 
and  Valcour  Island.  The  '  Congress '  was  his  flag 
ship.  The  British  attacked  him,  and  a  very  se 
vere  fight  followed.  It  was  brought  to  a  conclu* 
sion  only  by  the  coming  of  a  very  dark  night. 


238  ELSIE   YACHTING 

The  Americans  had  lost  the  '  Royal  Savage  '  in  the 
action ;  the  rest  of  the  flotilla  fled  up  the  lake, 
eluding  the  British  in  the  darkness. 

"The  next  morning  the  British  followed;  and 
all  that  day  and  the  following  night  the  chase 
continued.  Early  the  next  morning  the  British 
succeeded  in  coming  up  with  the  Americans,  and 
another  battle  followed.  Arnold,  who  was  on 
the  galley  '  Congress,'  fought  hard  until  his  vessel 
was  nearly  a  wreck,  then  ran  her  and  four  others 
into  a  creek  and  set  them  on  fire  to  prevent  their 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  foe. 

"  Those  who  were  left  of  the  crews  escaped 
and  made  their  way  to  Crown  Point." 

"  Arnold  did  do  good  work  for  his  country  in 
the  early  part  of  the  war,"  exclaimed  Rosie.  "  If 
he  had  been  killed  in  that  fight  he  would  always 
have  been  considered  as  great  a  patriot  as  any 
other  man  of  the  time." 

**  Yes,"  replied  the  Captain  with  an  involuntary 
sigh,  "  if  he  had  fallen  then,  or  even  some  years 
later,  his  memory  would  have  been  as  fondly 
cherished  as  that  of  almost  any  other  soldier  of 
the  Revolution.  He  would  have  been  considered 
one  of  the  noblest  champions  of  liberty.  Ah, 
•what  a  pity  he  should  turn  traitor  and  make  him 
self  the  object  of  infamy,  as  lasting  as  the  history 
of  his  native  land,  which  he  attempted  to  betray 
Into  the  hands  of  her  foes !  " 

"  Doubtless  after  years  must  have  brought  him 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  239 

many  an  hour  of  bitter  regret,"  said  Mrs.  Travilla, 
echoing  the  Captain's  sigh.  "Poor  fellow!  I 
hope  he  repented  and  was  forgiven  of  God, 
though  his  countrymen  could  never  forgive  him. 
He  had  a  pious  mother  who  tried  to  train  him 
up  aright,  and  certainly  must  have  often  prayed 
earnestly  for  her  son  ;  so  I  hope  he  may  have  re 
pented  and  found  forgiveness  and  salvation 
through  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ." 

"  I  would  be  glad  indeed  to  know  that  he  had, 
Mamma,"  said  Violet. 

"  I  too,"  added  the  Captain.  "  I  think  he 
must  have  been  a  very  wretched  man  in  the  latter 
years  of  his  life." 

"Was  he  treated  well  in  England,  Papa?" 
asked  Lulu. 

"Not  by  every  one,"  replied  her  father; 
"  some  of  the  noble-minded  there  showed  him 
very  plainly  that  they  despised  him  for  his 
treason.  George  III.  introduced  him  to  Earl 
Balcarras,  who  had  been  with  Burgoyne  at  the 
battle  of  Bemis's  Heights ;  but  the  earl  refused 
his  hand,  and  turned  on  his  heel  saying,  '  I  know 
General  Arnold,  and  abominate  traitors.' " 

"  How  Arnold  must  have  felt  that !  "  exclaimed 
Rosie.  "  I  would  not  have  liked  to  be  in  his 
shoes." 

"  Nor  I,"  said  her  mother.  "  The  British 
officers  thoroughly  despised  him,  and  there  is  an 
anecdote  of  a  meeting  he  once  had  with  Talley- 


240  ELSIE   YACHTING 

rand  which  must  have  been  trying  to  his  feelings, 
if  he  had  any  sense  of  honour  left. 

"  It  seems  that  Talleyrand,  who  was  fleeing 
from  France  during  the  revolution  there,  inquired 
at  the  hotel  where  he  was  at  the  time,  for  some 
American  who  could  give  him  letters  of  introduc 
tion  to  persons  of  influence  here.  He  was  told 
that  an  American  gentleman  was  in  an  adjoining 
room.  It  seems  it  was  Arnold,  though  no  one, 
I  suppose,  knew  who  he  was.  Talleyrand  sought 
an  interview  with  him,  and  made  his  request  for 
letters  of  introduction,  when  Arnold  at  once 
retreated  from  the  room,  as  he  did  so  saying 
with  a  look  of  pain  on  his  face,  '  I  was  born  in 
America,  lived  there  till  the  prime  of  my  life, 
but,  alas !  I  can  call  no  man  in  America  my 
friend.' " 

"  I  should  feel  sorry  for  him  in  spite  of  that 
black  act  of  treason,"  Violet  said,  "  if  he  had  not 
followed  it  up  by  such  infamous  deeds  against 
his  countrymen,  even  those  of  them  who  had 
been  his  neighbours  and  friends  in  his  early  years. 
I  remember  Lossing  tells  us  that  while  New 
Haven  —  set  on  fire  by  Arnold's  band  of  Tories 
and  Hessians  —  was  burning,  he  stood  in  the 
belfry  of  a  church  watching  the  conflagration 
with  probably  the  same  kind  of  satisfaction  that 
Nero  felt  in  the  destruction  of  Rome.  Think  of 
such  a  murderous  expedition  against  the  home 
and  friends  of  his  childhood  and  youth!  the 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  241 

wauton  destruction  of  a  thriving  town !  It  showed 
him  to  be  a  most  malicious  wretch,  worthy  of  the 
scorn  and  contempt  with  which  he  was  treated 
even  by  many  of  those  who  had  profited  by  his 
treason." 

44  Yes ;  4  the  way  of  transgressors  is  hard,' " 
quoted  her  mother. 


242  ELSIE   YACHTING 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

FOB  some  days  the  "  Dolphin  "  rode  at  anchor 
in  Bar  Harbour,  Mount  Desert,  while  its  pas 
sengers  found  great  enjoyment  in  trips  here  and 
there  about  the  island,  visiting  the  Ovens,  Otter 
Cliffs,  Schooner  Head,  and  other  points  of 
interest. 

But  the  time  was  drawing  near  when  Max 
must  show  himself  to  the  examiners  of  appli 
cants  for  cadetship  in  Annapolis,  and  early  one 
bright  morning,  a  favourable  land  breeze  spring 
ing  up,  the  yacht  weighed  anchor  and  started 
southward. 

They  were  to  touch  at  Newport  on  their  way 
and  take  on  board  any  of  their  party  left  there 
who  might  care  to  visit  Annapolis  with  them. 

As  usual  all  gathered  upon  deck  shortly  after 
breakfast,  and  again  the  young  people  besieged 
the  Captain  with  requests  for  something  more 
about  the  doings  of  Revolutionary  days. 

"  You  know,  Papa,"  said  Lulu,  "  we  've  been 
so  busy  visiting  all  those  lovely  places  on  Mount 
Desert  that  we  have  n't  had  time  for  anything 
about  the  wars  since  you  told  us  how  Arnold 
fought  the  British  on  Lake  Champlain." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  243 

"Yes,  I  remember,"  he  said.  "How  would 
you  like  now  to  hear  of  some  of  the  doings 
and  happenings  of  those  tunes  in  and  about 
Newport  ?  " 

"Oh,  please  do  tell  of  them!  We'd  like 
it  ever  so  much,"  answered  several  young 
voices,  and  the  Captain  good-naturedly  com 
plied. 

"  I  will  begin,"  he  said,  "  with  a  bold  and 
brave  exploit  of  Major  Silas  Talbot,  in  the  fall 
of  1778.  The  British  had  converted  a  strong 
vessel  into  a  galley,  named  it  the  '  Pigot,'  in 
honour  of  their  general  of  that  name,  and  an 
chored  it  in  the  channel  between  the  eastern  side 
of  the  island  bearing  the  same  name  as  the 
State,  and  the  main  land.  It  was  armed  with 
twelve  eight-pounders  and  ten  swivels,  making 
a  formidable  floating  battery,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  close  up  the  channel  against  the  French 
fleet  which  lay  off  Newport. 

"  It  also  effectually  broke  up  the  local  trade  of 
that  section ;  therefore  its  destruction  was  very 
desirable,  and  Major  Talbot  proposed  to  head 
an  expedition  to  accomplish  that,  or  its  capture. 
General  Sullivan  thought  the  thing  could  not  be 
done,  but  finally  gave  consent  that  the  effort 
should  be  made. 

"  Sixty  resolute  patriots  were  drafted  for  the 
purpose  and  on  the  10th  of  October  they  set 
sail  in  a  coasting-sloop  called  the  'Hawk,' 


244  ELSIE   YACHTING 

armed  with  only  three  three-pounders,  beside 
the  small  arms  carried  by  the  men. 

"  They  passed  the  British  forts  at  Bristol  Ferry 
and  anchored  within  a  few  miles  of  the  '  Pigot.' 
Major  Talbot  then  procured  a  horse,  rode  down 
the  east  bank  and  reconnoitred.  He  saw  that 
the  '  Pigot '  presented  a  formidable  appear 
ance,  but  he  was  not  too  much  alarmed  thereby 
to  make  the  proposed  attempt  to  capture  her. 

"  At  nine  o'clock  that  same  evening  he  hoisted 
his  anchor,  and  favoured  by  a  fair  wind,  started 
on  his  perilous  errand.  He  had  with  him  Lieu 
tenant  Helm,  of  Rhode  Island,  with  a  small  rein 
forcement.  He  had  also  a  kedge-anchor,  lashed 
to  his  jib-boom,  with  which  to  tear  the  nettings 
of  the  '  Pigot.'  The  darkness  of  the  night 
enabled  him  to  drift  past  Fogland  Ferry  Fort 
under  bare  poles,  without  being  discovered ;  he 
then  hoisted  sail  and  ran  partly  under  the  stern 
of  the  'Pigot.' 

"  The  sentinels  hailed  him,  but  no  answer  was 
returned ;  and  they  fired  a  volley  of  musketry 
at  the  '  Hawk,'  which  fortunately  hit  no  one, 
while  her  kedge-anchor  tore  the  '  Pigot' s '  net 
tings  and  grappled  her,  and  so  gave  the  Amer 
icans  a  free  passage  to  her  deck.  They  poured 
on  it  from  the  '  Hawk,'  with  loud  shouts,  and 
drove  every  man  from  the  deck  except  the  cap 
tain.  He,  in  shirt  and  drawers,  fought  desper 
ately  till  he  found  that  resistance  was  useless> 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  245 

when  he  surrendered  his  vessel  with  the  officers 
and  crew. 

"The  Americans  secured  the  prisoners  below 
by  coiling  the  cables  over  the  hatchways,  weighed 
anchor,  and  started  for  the  harbour  of  Stonington, 
which  they  entered  the  next  day  with  their  prize." 

"  Good  !  "  cried  Max.  "  I  'd  have  liked  to  be 
one  of  those  brave  fellows,  and  I  hope  Congress 
rewarded  them  for  their  gallant  deed." 

"  It  did,"  said  the  Captain  ;  "  presented  Talbot 
with  a  commission  of  lieutenant-colonel  in  the 
army  of  the  United  States,  and  complimented 
both  him  and  his  men." 

"I  suppose  they'd  have  given  them  some 
money  if  they'd  had  it  to  spare,"  remarked 
Lulu  ;  "  but  of  course  they  had  n't,  because  the 
country  was  so  dreadfully  poor  then." 

"Yes,"  said  her  father,  "it  was  poor,  and 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  was  suffering  greatly 
from  the  long-continued  occupation  of  the  Brit 
ish.  The  people  of  that  colony  had  from  the 
first  taken  a  bold  and  determined  stand  in  op 
position  to  the  usurpations  of  King  George  and 
his  ministers,  and  the  oppressions  of  their  tools 
in  this  country. 

"  In  the  summer  of  1769  a  British  armed  sloop, 
sent  there  by  the  commissioners  of  customs,  lay 
in  Narragansett  Bay,  she  was  called  '  Liberty,' 
certainly  a  most  inappropriate  name.  Her  er 
rand  was  similar  to  that  of  the  '  Gaspee '  about  the 


246  ELSIE   YACHTING 

| 

destruction  of  which  I  have  already  told  you,  — 
though  that  occurred  some  three  years  later. 
The  commander  of  the  '  Liberty,'  was  a  Captain 
Reid.  A  schooner  and  brig  belonging  to  Con 
necticut  had  been  seized  and  brought  Into 
Newport ;  also  the  clothing  and  the  sword  of  the 
captain,  Packwood,  commander  of  the  brig,  had 
been  taken,  and  carried  aboard  the  '  Liberty.' 
He  went  there  to  recover  them,  was  badly  mal 
treated,  and  as  he  left  the  sloop  in  his  boat, 
was  fired  upon  with  a  musket  and  a  brace  of 
pistols. 

"  This  occurrence  greatly  exasperated  the  peo 
ple  of  Newport,  who  demanded  of  Reid  that  the 
man  who  had  fired  upon  Captain  Packwood 
should  be  sent  ashore. 

"  Reid  again  and  again  sent  the  wrong  man, 
which  of  course  exasperated  the  people,  and  they 
determined  to  show  him  that  they  were  not  to  be 
trifled  with.  Accordingly,  a  number  of  them 
boarded  the  '  Liberty,'  cut  her  cables,  and  set  her 
adrift.  The  tide  carried  her  down  the  bay  and 
drifted  her  to  Goat  Island,  where  the  people, 
after  throwing  her  stores  and  ammunition  into  the 
water,  scuttled  her,  and  set  her  on  fire.  Her 
boats  were  dragged  to  the  common,  and  burned 
there." 

"Was  she  entirely  burned,  Papa?"  asked 
Gracie. 

"  Almost,  after  burning  for  several  days." 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  247 

"And  that  was  nearly  six  years  before  the 
battle  of  Lexington,"  Evelyn  remarked  in  a  half 
musing  tone.  "How  wonderfully  patient  and 
forbearing  the  Americans  were,  putting  up  for 
years  with  so  much  of  British  insolence  and 
oppression !  " 

"  I  think  they  were,"  responded  the  Captain. 
"  Nor  was  it  from  cowardice,  as  they  plainly 
showed  when  once  war  with  Great  Britain  was 
fairly  inaugurated. 

"  And  the  little  State  of  Rhode  Island  had  her 
full  share  in  the  struggle  and  the  suffering  it 
brought.  Let  us  see  what  Bancroft  says  in  re 
gard  to  the  action  of  her  citizens  at  the  begin 
ning  of  the  conflict,  immediately  after  the  battles 
of  Lexington  and  Concord,"  he  added,  taking  up 
and  opening  a  book  lying  near  at  hand.  All 
waited  in  silence  as  he  turned  over  the  leaves  and 
began  to  read,  — 

"  The  nearest  towns  of  Rhode  Island  were  in  motion 
before  the  British  had  finished  their  retreat.  At  the 
instance  of  Hopkins  and  others,  Wanton,  the  governor, 
though  himself  inclined  to  the  royal  side,  called  an 
assembly.  Its  members  were  all  of  one  mind;  and 
when  Wanton,  with  several  of  the  council,  showed 
hesitation,  they  resolved,  if  necessary,  to  proceed  alone. 
The  council  yielded  and  confirmed  the  unanimous  vote 
of  the  assembly  for  raising  an  army  of  fifteen  hundred 
men.  '  The  colony  of  Rhode  Island,  wrote  Bowler,  the 
speaker,  to  the  Massachusetts  congress,  'is  firm  and  da- 


248  ELSIE   YACHTING 

termined;  and  a  greater  unanimity  in  the  lower  house 
scarce  ever  prevailed.'  Companies  of  the  men  of 
Rhode  Island  preceded  this  early  message." 

"The  little  State  took  a  noble  stand,"  re 
marked  Violet,  as  her  husband  finished  reading 
and  closed  the  book. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "  and  their  consequent  suffer 
ings  from  British  aggressions  promptly  began. 
Admiral  Wallace,  an  inhuman  wretch,  that  sum 
mer  commanded  a  small  British  fleet  lying  in 
Newport  harbour.  It  was  he  who  promised  to 
hang  Abraham  Whipple,  but  never  caught  him. 
It  was  discovered  by  the  Americans  that  he 
(Wallace)  was  planning  to  carry  off  the  live 
stock  from  the  lower  end  of  the  island  to  supply 
the  British  army  at  Boston." 

"  Going  to  steal  them,  Papa?  "  asked  Gracie. 

"  Yes  ;  but  the  people  were  too  quick  for  him. 
Some  of  them  went  down  one  dark  night  in 
September  and  brought  off  a  thousand  sheep  and 
fifty  head  of  cattle  ;  and  three  hundred  minute- 
men  drove  a  good  many  more  to  Newport,  so 
saving  them  from  being  taken  by  Wallace  and 
his  men. 

"Wallace  was  very  angry,  ordered  the  people 
to  make  contributions  to  supply  his  fleet  with 
provisions,  and  to  force  them  to  do  so  took  care 
to  prevent  them  from  getting  their  usual  supplies 
of  fuel  and  Drovisions  from  the  mainland. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  249 

"  The  people  were  much  alarmed,  and  about 
half  of  them  left  the  town.  Shortly  afterward 
a  treaty  was  made  by  which  they  engaged 
to  supply  the  fleet  with  provisions  and  beer, 
and  Wallace  allowed  them  to  move  about  as 
they  pleased.  ,  But  soon,  however,  he  demanded 
three  hundred  sheep  of  the  people  of  Bristol, 
and  upon  their  refusal  to  comply,  bombarded 
their  town. 

"He  began  the  bombardment  about  eight  o'clock 
in  the  evening.  The  rain  was  pouring  in  tor 
rents  ;  and  the  poor  women  and  children  fled 
through  the  darkness  and  storm,  out  to  the  open 
fields  to  escape  from  the  flying  shot  and  shell  of 
the  invaders." 

"  Oh,  how  dreadful  for  the  poor  things ! "  ex 
claimed  Gracie. 

"Yes,  there  was  great  suffering  among  them," 
replied  her  father.  "  The  house  of  Governor 
Bradford  was  burned,  as  also  were  many  others. 
Wallace  played  the  pirate  in  Narragansett  Bay 
for  a  month,  wantonly  destroying  the  people's 
property,  seizing  every  American  vessel  that 
entered  Newport  harbour  and  sending  it  to  Bos 
ton,  —  which,  as  you  will  remember,  was  then 
occupied  by  the  British  general,  Gage,  and  his 
troops,  —  plundering  and  burning  all  the  dwell 
ings  on  tho  beautiful  island  of  Providence,  and 
all  the  buildings  near  the  ferry  at  Canonicut. 

44  He  kept  possession  of  the  harbour  till  the 


250  ELSIE   YACHTING 

spring  of  1776  ;  but  in  April  of  that  year  some 
American  troops  came  to  try  to  drive  him  away. 
Captain  Grimes  brought  two  row-galleys,  each 
carrying  two  eighteen- pounders,  from  Provi 
dence.  Provincial  troops  brought  two  more 
eighteen  pounders  and  planted  them  on  shore 
where  the  British,  who  were  anchored  about  a 
mile  above  Newport,  could  see  them. 

"  Wallace  evidently  thought  the  danger  too 
great  and  immediate,  for  he  weighed  anchor,  and 
with  his  whole  squadron  sailed  out  of  the  harbour 
without  firing  a  shot." 

"  He  must  have  been  a  coward  like  most  men 
who  revel  in  such  cruelty,"  remarked  Max  sagely. 
"  Not  much  like  the  Wallace  of  Scotland  who 
fought  the  English  so  bravely  in  early  times." 

" 1  quite  agree  with  you  in  that  thought, 
Max,"  his  father  said  with  a  slight  smile.  "  This 
Wallace  was  the  same  who,  later  in  the  war, 
plundered  and  destroyed  the  property  of  the 
Americans  on  the  Hudson,  desolating  the  farms 
of  innocent  men  because  they  preferred  freedom 
to  the  tyrannical  rule  of  the  English  government, 
and  laying  the  town  of  Kingston  in  ashes. 

"  Soon  after  he  sailed  out  of  Narragansett 
Bay  another  British  vessel  called  the  '  Glasgow,' 
carrying  twenty-nine  guns,  came  into  the  harbour 
and  anchored  near  Fort  Island.  She  had  just 
come  out  of  a  severe  fight  with  some  American 
vessels,  held  the  same  day  that  Wallace  left 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  251 

Newport.  Probably  her  officers  thought  he  was 
still  there  so  that  their  vessel  would  be  safe  in 
that  harbour,  but  they  soon  discovered  their  mis 
take.  The  Americans  threw  up  a  breast- work 
on  Brenton's  Point,  placed  some  pieces  of  heavy 
artillery  there,  and  the  next  morning  opened  upon 
her  and  another  vessel  so  vigorous  a  fire  from 
their  battery  that  they  soon  cut  their  cables  anc? 
went  out  to  sea  again." 


252  ELSIE   YACHTING 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

*3  ELAD  the  land  troops  of  the  British  gone 
away  also,  Captain?"  asked  Evelyn. 

"  No,"  he  replied.  "  Early  in  May  the  Brit 
ish  troops  left  the  houses  of  the  town  and  re 
turned  to  their  camp.  It  was  some  relief  to 
the  poor,  outraged  people  whose  dwellings  had 
been  turned  into  noisy  barracks,  their  pleasant 
groves,  beautiful  shade-trees  and  broad  forests 
destroyed,  their  property  taken  from  them,  their 
wives  and  children  exposed  to  the  profanity,  low 
ribaldry,  and  insults  of  the  ignorant  and  brutal 
soldiery ;  but  there  was  by  no  means  entire  re 
lief  ;  they  were  still  plundered  and  insulted. 

"  Clinton  had  gone  to  New  York  with  about  one 
half  the  troops,  but  a  far  worse  tyrant  held  com 
mand  in  his  place,  Major-General  Prescott  by 
name  ;  he  was  a  dastardly  coward  when  in  dan 
ger,  the  meanest  of  petty  tyrants  when  he  felt  it 
safe  to  be  such,  narrow  minded,  hard  hearted 
and  covetous,  —  anything  but  a  gentleman.  A 
more  unfit  man  for  the  place  could  hardly  have 
been  found. 

"  When  he  saw  persons  conversing  together  as 
he  walked  the  streets,  he  would  shake  his  cane 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  253 

at  them  and  call  out,  '  Disperse,  ye  rebels ! ' 
Also,  he  would  command  them  to  take  off  their 
hats  to  him,  and  unless  his  order  was  instantly 
obeyed,  enforce  it  by  a  rap  with  his  cane." 

"  That  must  have  been  hard  indeed  to  bear," 
remarked  Violet. 

"  Yes,"  cried  Max  hotly.  "  I  'd  have  enjoyed 
knocking  him  down." 

"  Probably  better  than  the  consequences  of 
your  act,"  laughed  his  father;  then  went  on: 
"  Prescott  was  passing  out  of  town  one  evening, 
going  to  his  country  quarters,  when  he  overtook 
a  Quaker,  who  of  course  did  not  doff  his  hat. 
Prescott  was  on  horseback  ;  he  dashed  up  to  the 
Quaker,  pressed  him  up  against  a  stone  wall, 
knocked  off  his  hat,  and  then  put  him  under 
guard. 

"He  imprisoned  many  citizens  of  Newport  with 
out  giving  any  reason.  One  was  a  man  named 
William  Tripp,  a  very  respectable  citizen,  who 
had  a  wife  and  a  large  and  interesting  family, 
with  none  of  whom  was  he  allowed  to  hold  any 
communication. 

"But  Tripp's  wife  had  contrivance  enough 
to  open  a  correspondence  with  her  husband  by 
sending  him  a  loaf  of  bread  with  a  letter  baked 
in  the  inside.  Whether  he  could  find  means  to 
send  a  reply  I  do  not  know,  but  it  must  have 
been  some  consolation  to  hear  from  her  and  his 
children. 


254  ELSIE  YACHTING 

"  While  Tripp  was  still  in  prison  she  tried  to 
see  Prescott,  to  beg  that  her  husband  might  be 
set  free,  or  she  allowed  a  personal  interview  with 
him.  She  was  told  to  come  again  the  next  day. 
Her  application  had  been  made  to  a  Captain 
Savage,  the  only  person  through  whom  she  might 
hope  to  gain  the  coveted  interview  with  Prescott ; 
but  when  she  again  went  to  him,  at  the  appointed 
time,  he  treated  her  very  roughly,  refusing  her 
request  to  see  the  general,  and  as  he  shut  the 
door  violently  in  her  face,  telling  her  with  fiendish 
exultation  that  he  expected  her  husband  would 
be  hung  as  a  rebel  in  less  than  a  week." 

"Truly,  his  was  a  most  appropriate  name," 
remarked  Grandma  Elsie. 

.  "And  did  they  hang  the  poor  man,  Papa?" 
asked  Gracie. 

"  I  do  not  know,  my  darling,"  he  answered, 
"  but  I  hope  not.  Would  you  all  like  to  hear 
something  more  about  his  persecutor,  Prescott  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,  yes,"  came  promptly  from  several 
young  voices. 

"  You  may  be  sure,"  the  Captain  went  on, 
"  that  the  people  of  Newport  grew  very  tired  of 
their  oppressor,  and  devised  various  plans  for 
ridding  themselves  of  him.  None  of  these  proved 
successful,  but  at  length  a  better  one  was  con 
trived  and  finally  carried  out  by  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Barton,  of  Providence.  Lossing  speaks 
of  it  as  one  of  the  boldest  and  most  hazardous 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  255 

enterprizes  undertaken  during  the  war.  It  was 
accomplished  on  the  night  of  the  10th  of  July, 
1777. 

"  At  that  time  Prescott  was  quartered  at 
the  house  of  a  Quaker  named  Overing,  about 
five  miles  above  Newport,  on  the  west  road 
leading  to  the  ferry,  at  the  north  part  of  the 
island. 

"  Barton's  plan  was  to  cross  the  bay  under 
cover  of  the  darkness,  seize  Prescott,  and  carry 
him  off  to  the  American  camp.  But  it  was  a  very 
dangerous  thing  to  attempt,  because  three  British 
frigates,  with  their  guard-boats,  were  lying  in  the 
bay  almost  in  front  of  Overing' s  hdUse.  But 
taking  with  him  a  few  chosen  men,  in  four  whale- 
boats,  with  muffled  oars,  Barton  embarked  from 
Warwick  Point  at  nine  o'clock,  passed  silently 
between  the  islands  of  Prudence  and  Patience 
over  to  Rhode  Island,  hearing  on  the  way  the  cry 
of  the  British  sentries  from  their  guard-boats, 
4  All's  well.' 

"  They  —  the  Americans  —  landed  in  Codding- 
ton's  Cove,  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  stream  which 
passed  by  Overing's.  Barton  divided  his  men 
into  several  squads,  and  assigned  to  each  its 
station  and  duty.  Then  in  the  strictest  order 
and  profound  silence  they  made  their  way  to  the 
house,  the  larger  portion  of  them  passing  be 
tween  a  British  guard-house  and  the  encampment 
cf  a  company  of  light-horse,  while  the  rest  of  the 


256  ELSIE   YACHTING 

party  were  to  reach  the  same  point  by  a  cir 
cuitous  route,  approaching  it  from  the  rear,  then 
to  secure  the  doors. 

"As  Barton  and  his  men  drew  near  the 
gate  they  wese  hailed  by  a  sentinel  stationed 
there.  He  hailed  them  twice,  and  then  de 
manded  the  countersign.  Barton  answered, 
*  We  have  no  countersign  to  give,'  then 
quickly  asked,  '  Have  you  seen  any  deserters 
here  to-night  ? ' 

"  That  query  allayed  the  sentinel's  suspicions, 
so  putting  him  off  his  guard,  and  the  next  mo 
ment  he  found  himself  seized,  bound,  and 
threatened  with  instant  death  if  he  attempted  to 
give  the  alarm. 

"  While  Barton  and  his  party  had  been  thus 
engaged  the  division  from  the  rear  had  secured 
the  doors,  and  Barton  now  walked  boldly  into  the 
front  passage  and  on  into  a  room  where  he  found 
Mr.  Overing,  seated  alone,  reading,  the  rest 
of  the  family  having  already  retired  to  their 
beds. 

"  Barton  asked  for  General  Prescott's  room, 
and  Overing  silently  pointed  to  the  ceiling,  inti 
mating  that  it  was  directly  overhead.  Barton 
then  walked  quietly  up  the  stairs,  four  strong 
white  men  and  a  powerful  negro  named  Sisson, 
accompanying  him.  He  gently  tried  Prescott's 
door,  but  found  it  locked.  There  was  no  time  to 
be  lost ;  the  negro  drew  back  a  couple  of  paces, 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  257 

and  using  his  head  for  a  battering-ram,  burst  open 
the  door  at  the  first  effort. 

"  Prescott,  who  was  in  bed,  thought  the  in 
truders  were  robbers,  and  springing  out,  seized 
his  gold  watch  which  hung  upon  the  wall.  But 
Barton,  gently  laying  a  hand  on  his  shoulder, 
said,  '  You  are  my  prisoner,  sir,  and  perfect 
silence  is  your  only  safety.' 

*'  Prescott  asked  to  be  allowed  to  dress,  but 
Barton  refused,  saying  there  was  not  time ;  for 
he  doubtless  felt  that  every  moment  of  delay  was 
dangerous  to  himself  and  his  companions,  and  as 
it  was  a  hot  July  night  there  was  no  need  for  his 
prisoner  to  fear  taking  cold.  He  therefore  threw 
a  cloak  about  him,  placed  him  and  his  aide,  Major 
Barrington  (who,  hearing  a  noise  in  the  general's 
room,  had  taken  the  alarm  and  leaped  from  a 
window  to  make  his  escape,  but  ,only  to  be  cap 
tured  by  the  Americans)  between  two  armed  men, 
hurried  them  to  the  shore  where  the  boats  were 
in  waiting,  and  quickly  carried  them  over  the 
water  to  Warwick  Point.  When  they  reached 
,  there  Prescott  ventured  to  break  the  silence  that 
had  been  imposed  upon  him  by  saying  to  Colonel 
Barton,  '  Sir,  you  have  made  a  bold  push  to 
night.' 

" 4  We  have  been  fortunate,'  replied  Barton 
coolly. 

"  Prescott  and  Barrington  were  then  placed 
In  a  coach  which  Captain  Elliott  had  waiting 
17 


258  ELSIE   YACHTING 

there  for  them,  and  taken  to  Providence,  arriv 
ing  there  about  sunrise." 

"  I  wonder,"  remarked  Lulu,  *!  if  Prescott 
received  the  harsh  treatment  from  our  men  that 
he  deserved." 

"  No,"  replied  her  father,  "  I  am  proud  to  be 
able  to  say  that  American  officers  rarely,  if  ever, 
treated  their  prisoners  with  anything  like  the 
harshness  and  cruelty  usually  dealt  out  by  the 
British  to  theirs.  Prescott  was  kindly  treated 
by  General  Spencer  and  his  officers,  and  shortly 
after  his  capture  was  sent  to  Washington's  head 
quarters  at  Middlebrook,  on  the  Raritan. 

*'  But  it  seems  that  at  a  tavern  on  the  way  he 
received  something  better  suited  to  his  deserts. 
At  Lebanon  a  Captain  Alden  kept  a  tavern,  and 
there  Prescott  and  his  escort  stopped  to  dine. 
While  they  were  at  the  table  Mrs.  Alden  brought 
on  a  dish  of  succotash." 

"What's  that,  Papa?"  queried  little  Elsie, 
who  had  climbed  to  her  favourite  seat  upon  her 
father's  knee. 

"  Corn  and  beans  boiled  together,"  he  re 
plied  ;  "  a  dish  that  is  quite  a  favourite  with  most 
people  in  that  part  of  the  country ;  but  was,  I 
presume,  quite  new  to  Prescott,  and  he  ex 
claimed  indignantly,  '  What !  do  you  treat  me 
with  the  food  of  hogs  ? '  Then  taking  the  dish 
from  the  table  he  strewed  its  contents  over  the 
floor. 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  259 

"  Some  one  presently  carried  the  news  of  his 
doings  to  Captain  Alden,  and  he  walked  into  the 
dining-room  armed  with  a  horse-whip  and  gave 
Prescott  a  severe  flogging." 

"  I  think  it  served  him  right,"  remarked  Lulu, 
*'  for  his  insolence,  and  for  wasting  good  food 
that  somebody  else  would  have  been  glad  to 
eat." 

"  Prescott  must  surely  have  been  very  badly 
brought  up,"  said  Rosie,  "  and  was  anything 
but  a  gentleman.  I  pity  the  poor  Newport  peo 
ple  if  he  was  ever  restored  to  his  command 
there.  Was  he,  brother  Levis?  I  really  have 
quite  forgotten." 

"  Unfortunately  for  them,  he  was,"  replied  the 
Captain.  "  He  was  exchanged  for  General 
Charles  Lee  the  next  April,  and  returned  to  his 
former  command. 

"  While  he  was  still  there  the  Newport  people 
sent  a  committee  —  Timothy  Eolger,  William 
Rotch  and  Dr.  Tupper  —  to  him  to  arrange 
some  matters  concerning  the  town.  They 
found  some  difficulty  in  gaining  an  interview; 
and  when  at  length  Folger  and  the  doctor 
succeeded  in  so  doing,  Prescott  stormed  so 
violently  at  the  former  that  he  was  compelled 
to  withdraw. 

"After  the  doctor  had  told  his  errand  and 
Prescott  had  calmed  down,  he  asked,  «  Was  n't 
my  treatment  of  Folger  very  uncivil  ? ' 


260  ELSIE   YACHTING 

"  The  doctor  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and 
Prescott  went  on  to  say,  '  I  will  tell  you  the 
reason ;  he  looked  so  much  like  a  Connecticut 
man  that  horse- whipped  me  that  I  could  not 
endure  his  presence.' " 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  261 


CHAPTER  XX. 

'  THERE  was  time  for  only  a  brief  stay  in  the 
cottages  near  Newport  before  the  "Dolphin" 
must  sail  for  Annapolis,  in  order  that  Max  might 
be  there  in  season  for  the  examination  of  appli 
cants  for  cadetship  in  the  United  States  Navy. 
He  had  not  changed  his  mind,  but  was  looking 
forward  with  delight  to  the  life  that  seemed  to 
be  opening  before  him  ;  for  he  loved  the  sea,  and 
thought  no  profession  could  be  more  honourable 
than  that  chosen  by  his  father,  who  was  in  his 
eyes  the  impersonation  of  all  that  was  noble, 
good,  and  wise. 

He  was  not  sorry  that  his  suspense  in  regard 
to  acceptance  would  soon  be  ended,  though  both 
he  and  the  other  young  people  of  the  party 
would  have  liked  to  visit  places  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  Newport  made  memorable  by  the  occur 
rence  of  events  in  the  Revolutionary  War ;  but 
the  Captain  encouraged  the  hope  that  they  would 
all  be  able  to  do  so  at  some  future  time ;  also 
said  they  would  find  at  Annapolis  some  souvenirs 
of  the  struggle  for  independence  quite  as  well 
worth  attention  as  those  they  were  for  the  pres 
ent  leaving  behind. 


ELSIE   YACHTING 

So  they  started  upon  their  southward  way  in 
excellent  spirits,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dinsmore  ac 
companying  them. 

On  the  first  evening  of  their  renewed  voyage 
the  young  people  gathered  around  the  Captain 
and  begged  for  some  account  of  Revolutionary 
occurrences  in  the  State  they  were  now  about  to 
visit. 

"  I  will  go  back  a  little  further  than  that,"  he 
said  pleasantly,  drawing  Gracie  to  a  seat  upon 
his  knee,  —  "to  the  action  of  the  people  of  Mary 
land  upon  hearing  of  the  passage  of  the  Stamp 
Act.  In  August,  1765,  there  was  a  meeting  at 
Annapolis  of  the  *  Assertors  of  British  American 
privileges '  held  '  to  show  their  detestation  of 
and  abhorrence  to  some  late  tremendous  attacks 
on  liberty,  and  their  dislike  to  a  certain  late 
arrived  officer,  a  native  of  this  province.' 

"  The  person  to  whom  they  referred  was  a  Mr. 
Hood,  who  had  been  appointed  stamp-master 
while  in  England  shortly  before.  Dr.  Franklin 
had  recommended  him  for  the  place ;  but  the 
people  were  so  angry  that  no  one  would  buy 
goods  of  him,  though  offered  at  a  very  low  price. 
He  learned  that  they  intended  to  give  him  a  coat 
of  tar  and  feathers,  but  escaped  to  New  York  in 
time  to  save  himself  from  that. 

"  As  they  could  n't  catch  him  they  made  an 
effigy  of  him,  dressed  it  oddly,  put  it  in  a  cart, 
like  »  malefactor,  with  some  sheets  of  paper 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  263 

before  it,  and  paraded  it  through  the  town,  the 
bell  tolling  all  the  while.  They  then  took  it  to 
a  hill,  punished  it  at  the  whipping- post  and 
pillory,  hung  it  on  the  gibbet,  then  set  fire  to  a 
tar-barrel  underneath  and  burned  it." 

"  Oh,"  gasped  Gracie,  "  how  dreadful  if  it 
had  been  the  man  himself !  " 

"  But  it  was  n't,  Gracie  dear,"  laughed  Lulu; 
"  and  if  it  had  been,  I  'm  not  sure  it  was  worse 
than  he  deserved." 

"  But  I  suppose  they  had  to  use  the  stamps 
for  all  that,  —  hadn't  they?"  asked  Rosie. 

"  The  people  refused  to  use  them,  and  for  a 
time  all  business  was  at  an  end,"  said  the  Cap 
tain,  going  on  with  his  narrative.  "  Governor 
Sharpe  sent  back  some  of  the  stamped  paper 
which  arrived  in  December,  informing  the  colo 
nial  secretary  of  the  proceedings  of  the  people, 
and  said  that  if  they  got  hold  of  any  stamped 
paper  they  would  be  pretty  sure  to  burn  it. 

"  On  the  31st  of  October  the  '  Maryland 
Gazette '  appeared  in  mourning,  and  said,  *  The 
times  are  Dreadful,  Dismal,  Doleful,  Dolorous 
and  Dollarless.'  On  the  10th  of  December  the 
editor  issued  'an  apparition  of  the  late  "  Mary 
land  Gazette," '  and  expressed  his  opinion  that 
the  odious  Stamp  Act  would  never  be  carried 
into  effect. 

"There  was  great  rejoicing  when  the  intelli 
gence  reached  Annapolis  that  the  Act  had  been 


264  ELSIE   YACHTING 

repealed.  There  were  many  manifestations  of 
mirth  and  festivity ;  but,  as  you  all  know,  that 
rejoicing  was  short-lived,  for  the  king  and  his 
ministers  continued  their  aggressions  upon  the 
liberties  of  the  American  people. 

'*  In  the  autumn  of  1774  the  people  of  An 
napolis  were  greatly  excited  over  the  Boston  Port 
Bill,  and  ripe  for  rebellion.  They  also  resolved 
that  no  tea  should  be  landed  on  their  shores ; 
and  when  on  Saturday,  October  15,  the  ship 
*  Peggy,'  Captain  Stewart,  arrived  from  Lon 
don,  bringing  among  other  things,  seventeen 
packages  of  tea,  the  citizens  were  summoned  to 
a  general  meeting. 

"  It  was  the  first  arrival  of  tea  since  it  had 
become  a  proscribed  article.  It  was  ascertained 
that  it  was  consigned  to  T.  C.  Williams  &  Co., 
of  Annapolis,  that  they  had  imported  it,  and 
that  Antony  Stewart,  proprietor  of  the  vessel, 
had  paid  the  duty  on  it.  This  the  meeting 
looked  upon  as  an  acknowledgement  of  the  right 
claimed  by  King  and  Parliament  to  tax  the  tea 
brought  to  the  colonies,  and  it  was  resolved  not 
to  permit  the  tea  to  be  landed. 

"  The  people  of  the  surrounding  country  were 
summoned  to  a  meeting  in  the  city,  to  be  held  on 
the  following  Wednesday.  Mr.  Stewart  pub 
lished  a  handbill  of  explanation  of  his  connection 
with  the  affair,  saying  that  he  had  no  intention 
of  violating  the  non-importation  pledges,  and 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  265 

regretted  that  the  article  had  been  placed  on 
board  his  ship. 

**  But  the  people  had  been  deceived  on  former 
occasions,  and  knew  that  when  men  got  into 
trouble  they  were  apt  to  whine  and  pretend  in 
nocence  ;  therefore  they  were  more  disposed  to 
punish  than  forgive  Mr.  Stewart,  and  at  theu 
Wednesday  meeting  resolved  to  destroy  the  ves 
sel  with  its  packages  of  tea. 

"But  Mr.  Stewart,  by  the  advice  of  some  of 
his  friends,  decided  to  destroy  the  vessel  and  the 
tea  himself,  and  did  so.  He  ran  the  ship  aground 
near  Windmill  Point  and  set  her  on  fire.  That 
satisfied  the  people  and  the  crowd  dispersed. 

"  A  historian  of  the  time  says, '  the  destruction 
of  tea  at  Boston  has  acquired  renown  as  an 
act  of  unexampled  daring,  but  the  tea  burning 
of  Annapolis,  which  occurred  the  ensuing  fall, 
far  surpassed  it  in  the  apparent  deliberation, 
and  utter  carelessness  of  concealment,  attending 
the  bold  measures  which  led  to  its  accom 
plishment.'  " 

"  Did  the  Americans  hold  any  other  such  '  tea 
parties,'  Papa?"  asked  Lulu  with  a  humorous 
look. 

"Yes,"  he  said;  "in  New  York  and  New 
Jersey;  but  I  will  reserve  the  stories  of  those 
doings  for  another  tune,  and  go  on  now  with 
what  occurred  in  Maryland,  —  principally  at  An 
napolis,  —  in  the  times  now  under  consideration. 


266  ELSIE  YACHTING 

"  There  was  a  small  tea-burning  at  Elizabeth- 
town  —  now  called  Hagerstown,  —  the  Committee 
of  Vigilance  obliging  a  man  named  John  Parks  to 
go  with  his  hat  off  and  a  lighted  torch  in  his 
hand  and  set  fire  to  a  chest  of  tea  in  his  posses 
sion.  The  committee  also  recommended  entire 
non-intercourse  with  Parks ;  but  that  did  not 
seem  sufficient  to  the  people,  and  they  added  to 
it  the  breaking  of  his  doors  and  windows.  It 
is  said  too,  that  tar  and  feathers  were  freely 
used  in  various  places. 

"  Maryland  was  not  ready  quite  so  soon  as 
some  of  the  other  colonies  to  declare  herself  free 
and  independent;  but  Charles  Carroll,  William 
Paca,  Samuel  Chase,  and  others,  called  county 
conventions,  and  used  their  influence  to  persuade 
their  fellow-citizens  of  the  wisdom  and  necessity 
of  such  a  course,  and  on  the  28th  of  June,  the 
Maryland  Convention  empowered  their  delegates 
to  concur  with  the  other  colonies  in  a  declaration 
of  independence. 

"  As  you  all  know,  that  declaration  was  drawn 
up  and  signed  by  Congress  shortly  afterward,  and 
the  men  whose  names  I  have  mentioned  were  all 
among  the  signers." 

"  Was  there  any  fighting  in  or  about  Annapolis, 
Papa?"  asked  Lulu. 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  but  it  was  frequently  the  scene 
of  military  displays." 

"  I  'd  have  liked  that  a  great  deal  better  if  I 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  267 

had  been  there,"  remarked  Grade.  "  But  won't 
you  please  tell  us  about  them,  Papa  ?  " 

"  I  will,"  he  answered,  smiling  upon  her  and 
softly  smoothing  her  hair.  "  Washington  passed 
through  Annapolis  on  his  way  northward  after 
the  battle  of  Yorktown,  which,  as  you  will  all 
remember,  virtually  ended  our  struggle  for  inde 
pendence,  though  there  was  still  fighting  going 
on  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  Business 
was  suspended  in  Annapolis  when  Washington 
was  known  to  be  coming,  and  the  people  crowded 
streets  and  windows  to  gain  a  sight  of  the  chief 
as  he  passed.  A  public  address  was  made  him, 
and  everything  done  to  show  their  appreciation, 
respect,  and  esteem. 

"  Again  he  was  there  when,  the  war  at  an 
end,  he  resigned  his  commission  as  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  American  forces. 

"  '  The  State  House  at  Annapolis,  now  vener 
ated  because  of  the  associations  which  cluster 
around  it,  was  filled  with  the  brave,  the  fair, 
and  the  patriotic  of  Maryland,  to  witness  the 
sublime  spectacle  of  that  beloved  chief  resign 
ing  his  military  power  wielded  with  such  mighty 
energy  and  glorious  results  for  eight  long  years 
into  the  hands  of  the  civil  authority  which  gave 
it,'  says  Lossing." 

"  But  why  did  Washington  go  to  Maryland  to 
do  that,  Papa?  "  asked  Gracie. 

*'  Because  the  Continental  Congress  was  then 


268 

in  session  there,"  replied  her  father.  "  It  was 
a  most  interesting  scene  which  then  took  place  in 
the  Senate  Chamber  of  the  Capitol.  The  time 
was  noon  of  the  23d  of  December,  1783.  Be 
side  the  congressmen  there  were  present  the 
governor,  council  and  legislature  of  Maryland, 
general  officers,  and  the  representative  of  France. 
Places  were  assigned  to  all  these,  while  spectators 
filled  the  galleries  and  crowded  the  floor. 

"Bancroft  tells  us  that  'rising  with  dignity, 
Washington  spoke  of  the  rectitude  of  the  common 
cause  ;  the  support  of  Congress  ;  of  his  country 
men  ;  of  Providence  ;  and  he  commended  the  in 
terests  of  our  dearest  country  to  the  care  of  AL 
mighty  God.  Then  saying  that  he  had  finished  tha 
work  assigned  him  to  do,  he  bade  an  affectionate 
farewell  to  the  august  body  under  whose  orders  he 
had  so  long  acted,  resigned  with  satisfaction  the 
commission  which  he  had  accepted  with  diffidence, 
and  took  leave  of  public  life.  His  emotion  was 
so  great  that,  as  he  advanced  and  delivered  up 
his  commission,  he  seemed  unable  to  have  uttered 
more.' 

"  Washington  still  stood  while  the  president  of 
Congress,  turning  pale  from  emotion,  made  a 
short  address  in  reply,  only  a  sentence  or  two  of 
which  I  will  quote  :  "  — 


"  Having  taught  a  lesson  useful  to  those  who  inflict 
tlioss  who  feel  oporession,  with  the  blessings  of 


WITH   THE  RAYMONDS.  269 

your  fellow-citizens  you  retire  from  the  great  field  of 
action ;  but  the  glory  of  your  virtues  will  continue  to 
animate  remotest  ages.  We  join  you  in  commending 
the  interests  of  our  dearest  country  to  the  protection 
of  Almighty  God,  beseeching  him  to  dispose  the  hearts 
and  minds  of  its  citizens  to  improve  the  opportunity 
afforded  them  of  becoming  a  happy  and  respectable 
nation." 

"  Which  I  think  we  have  become,"  added  Max, 
with  satisfaction,  as  his  father  paused  in  his 
narrative. 

"  By  God's  blessing  upon  the  work  of  our 
pious  forefathers,"  added  the  Captain,  with  a  look 
of  mingled  gratitude  and  pride  in  the  land  of  his 
birth. 

"  I  think  we  must  all  visit  the  State  House  when 
in  Annapolis,"  remarked  Grandma  Elsie,  who 
sat  near  and  had  been  listening  with  almost  as 
keen  interest  as  that  shown  by  the  younger  ones. 

"  Certainly  we  must,"  said  Mr.  Dinsmore. 
*'  Some  of  us  have  been  there  before,  but  a 
second  visit  will  not  prove  uninteresting,  espe 
cially  along  with  the  young  folks,  to  whom  it 
will  be  quite  new,"  and  he  glanced  smilingly 
around  upon  the  bright,  eager  faces. 

His  suggestion  was  followed  by  expressions 
of  pleasure  in  the  prospect.  Then  the  Captain 
was  besieged  with  entreaties  that  he  would  go  on 
with  his  account  of  things  of  historical  interest 
to  be  found  in  Annapolis.^ 


270  ELSIE    YACHTING 

"  There  is  the  little  gallery  in  which  Mrs. 
Washington  and  other  ladies  stood  to  witness  the 
scene  I  have  tried  to  describe,"  he  continued.  "  It 
is  said  to  be  unchanged,  as  are  also  the  doors,  win 
dows,  cornices,  and  other  architectural  belongings. 
I  confess  it  sent  a  thrill  through  me  when  I  first 
saw  them  all,  to  think  they  were  the  very  same 
which  echoed  the  voice  of  the  Father  of  his  Coun 
try  on  that  memorable  occasion. 

"  Also  the  very  spot  where  Mifflin,  the  presi 
dent,  and  Thomson,  the  secretary,  of  Congress 
sat  when  the  treaty  of  peace  with  Great  Britain 
was  ratified,  can  be  pointed  out  to  the  interested 
observer,  which  I  certainly  was." 

"It  is  a  fine  building,"  remarked  Mr.  Dins- 
more,  "  much  admired  for  its  style  of  architecture 
and  the  beauty  of  its  situation." 

"  It  is  indeed,"  assented  the  Captain.  "  It  is 
built  of  brick,  has  a  fine  dome,  surmounted  by 
two  smaller  ones,  with  a  cupola  of  wood.  As 
it  stands  upon  an  elevation  in  the  centre  of  the 
city,  there  is  a  magnificent  prospect  from  its 
dome.  One  sees  the  city  and  harbour,  while  far 
away  to  the  southeast  stretches  Chesapeake  Bay, 
with  Kent  Island  and  the  eastern  shore  looming 
up  in  the  distance." 

"  I  remember  two  incidents  which  I  have 
heard  were  connected  with  the  building  of  that 
State  House,"  remarked  Mrs.  Dinsmore.  "  One 
is,  that  when  the  corner-stone  was  laid  by 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  271 

Governor  Eden,  just  as  he  struck  it  with  a  mallet 
a  severe  clap  of  thunder  burst  over  the  city  out 
of  a  clear  sky;  the  other,  that  the  man  who 
executed  the  stucco-work  of  the  dome,  fell  from 
the  scaffold  and  was  killed  just  as  he  had  com 
pleted  his  centre-piece." 

"  Yes,"  the  Captain  said,  "  I  have  heard  those 
incidents  were  traditional,  but  am  not  able  to 
vouch  for  their  truth." 

"Is  there  not  a  portrait  of  Washington  there?" 
asked  Violet. 

'*  Yes,"  replied  her  husband,  "  in  the  House 
of  Delegates  ;  it  is  a  full-length  likeness,  and  he  is 
attended  by  La  Fayette  and  Colonel  Tilghman, 
the  Continental  army  passing  in  review.  It 
was  painted  by  Peale  as  commemorative  of  the 
surrender  at  Yorktown,  having  been  ordered  by 
the  Assembly  of  Maryland. 

"  There  are  also  full-length  portraits  of  Car 
roll,  Stone,  Paca,  and  Chase  on  the  walls  of  the 
Senate  Chamber.  The  first  two  were  painted 
by  Sully,  the  other  two  by  Bordley,  —  both 
native  artists.  There  is  also  a  full-length  por 
trait  of  William  Pitt,  Earl  of  Chatham,  in 
Roman  costume.  Peale  painted  that  also,  and 
presented  it  to  Maryland,  his  native  State,  in 
1794.  The  work  was  done  in  England,  and  is 
of  a  high  order. 

"  The  only  other  portrait  I  recollect  as  being 
there  is  one  of  John  Eager  Howard,  who,  you 


272  ELSIE   YACHTING 

doubtless  remember,  was  one  of  the  heroes  of 
the  Revolution." 

Favourable  winds  and  weather  enabled  the 
**  Dolphin "  to  reach  her  destination  a  day  or 
two  earlier  than  the  Captain  had  expected,  so 
giving  our  pai'ty  a  little  more  time  for  sight-see 
ing  than  they  had  hoped  for.  They  made  good 
use  of  it,  going  about  and  visiting  a1!  the  places 
of  interest.  Almost  the  first  that  received  their 
attention  was  the  State  House,  with  its  me 
mentos  of  the  Revolutionary  days,  of  which  the 
Captain  had  been  telling  them. 

They  lingered  long  over  the  portraits  and  in 
the  Senate  Chamber,  where  the  Father  of  his 
Country  had  resigned  his  commission  as  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  the  Continental  armies. 

They  ascended  to  the  cupola  also,  and  gazed 
with  delight  upon  the  beautiful  landscape  spread 
out  at  their  feet,  —  Max  manifesting  great  interest 
in  the  vessels  lying  in  the  harbour,  particularly 
the  practice-ship  "  Constellation  "  and  the  school- 
ship  "Santee,"  and  scarcely  less  in  the  monitor 
"  Passaic  "  and  the  steam-sloop  "  Wyoming," 
swinging  at  their  anchorage  in  the  river. 

"  Papa,  can  I  visit  them?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  my  boy,  I  hope  to  take  you  to  see  them 
all,"  was  the  pleasant-toned  reply.  "  I  intend 
that  you  and  all  the  party  shall  see  everything 
that  is  worth  their  attention." 

"  That 's  very  kind  of  you,  Captain,"  remarked 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  273 

Evelyn  in  a  lively  tone.  "  I  for  one  am  very 
desirous  to  see  the  Naval  Academy,  its  grounda 
and  the  drills,  —  one  at  least.  I  so  enjoyed 
seeing  those  on  Gardiner's  Island." 

"  You  shail,"  replied  the  Captain,  with  his 
pleasant  smile.  *'  It  will  give  me  pleasure  to 
take  any  of  you  who  wish  to  go." 

"  I  think  that  will  be  all  of  us,"  remarked 
Violet,  with  a  bright  and  happy  glance  up  into 
her  husband's  face. 

They  were  descending  the  stairs  as  they  talked, 
and  presently  had  all  passed  out  into  the  State 
House  grounds.  There  they  met  a  gentleman  in 
undress  naval  uniform  who,  coming  forward  with 
a  look  of  extreme  pleasure,  warmly  grasped  the 
hand  of  Captain  Raymond,  calling  him  by  name, 
and  saying,  "  I  do  not  know  when  I  have  had 
so  agreeable  a  surprise." 

The  Captain  returned  the  salutation  as  warmly 
as  it  was  given,  then  introduced  the  rest  of  his 
party,  telling  them  that  this  friend  of  his  was 
commander-commandant  of  cadets. 

At  that  Max's  eyes  opened  very  wide  and 
fixed  themselves  upon  the  gentleman  with  as 
eager  interest  as  if  he  had  been  a  king. 

Captain  Raymond  noted  it  with  a  look  of 
mingled  amusement  and  pride  in  the  lad. 

"  This  is  my  son  Max,  sir,  a  candidate  for 
cadetship,"  he  said,  laying  a  hand  affectionately 
upon  Max's  shoulder,  "  and  I  see  he  is  much 
18 


274  ELSIE   YACHTING 

interested  in  this  his  first  sight  of  one  who  will, 
he  hopes,  soon  be  his  commander." 

"Ah!  a  son  of  yours,  Raymond?  But  I 
might  have  guessed  it  from  his  striking  likeness 
to  his  father,"  the  commandant  said  in  a  pleased 
and  interested  tone,  grasping  the  boy's  hand 
warmly  as  he  spoke.  "  I  have  little  doubt  that 
he  will  pass,"  he  added  with  a  smile,  "  for  he 
should  inherit  a  good  mind,  and  he  looks  bright 
and  intelligent,  —  his  father's  son  mentally  as 
well  as  physically." 

Max  coloured  with  pleasure.  *'  It  is  exactly 
what  I  want  to  be,  sir,"  he  said,  —  "as  like  my 
father  as  possible."  And  his  eyes  sought  that 
father's  face  with  a  look  of  love  and  reverence 
that  was  pleasant  to  see. 

The  Captain  met  it  with  a  smile  of  fatherly 
affection.  "  One's  children  are  apt  to  be  partial 
judges,"  he  said ;  then  changing  the  subject  of 
conversation,  he  stated  the  desire  of  those  under 
his  escort  to  see  the  Naval  Academy  and  the 
Naval  vessels  lying  at  anchor  in  the  harbour. 

The  commandant,  saying  he  had  some  hours 
at  his  disposal,  undertook  to  be  their  escort; 
and  thus  they  saw  everything  under  the  most 
favourable  auspices. 

The  drill  of  the  artillery  battalion  seemed  to 
Max  and  Lulu  very  similar  to  that  they  had 
witnessed  at  West  Point,  but  was  scarcely  the 
less  exciting  and  interesting.  They  watched  it 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  275 

all  with  sparkling  eyes  and  eager,  animated 
looks,  Max  hoping  soon  to  take  part  in  it,  and 
not  at  all  regretting  his  choice  of  a  profession. 
He  was  not  a  bashful  lad,  though  by  no  means 
conceited  or  forward,  and  his  father  had  assured 
him  that  if  he  retained  his  self-possession,  not 
giving  way  to  nervousness  or  fright,  he  was  fully 
competent  to  pass. 

The  boy  had  unbounded  confidence  in  his 
father's  word,  which  helped  him  to  so  fully  retain 
his  self-possession  that  he  found  little  or  no 
difficulty  in  answering  every  question  put  to  him, 
—  for  the  Captain  had  been  very  careful  to  drill 
him  perfectly,  making  him  thorough  in  all  the 
branches  required,  —  and  passed  most  success 
fully. 

He  was  also  pronounced  by  the  examining 
physician  physically  sound  and  of  robust  consti 
tution.  He  was  accepted,  took  the  oath  of  alle 
giance,  and  felt  himself  several  inches  taller  than 
before. 

Captain  Raymond  attended  to  all  the  business 
matters,  saw  the  room  and  room-mate  selected  for 
his  son,  and  did  all  that  could  be  done  to  secure 
the  boy's  comfort  and  welfare.  The  parting  from 
Mamma  Vi,  his  sisters,  and  baby  brother  was 
quite  hard  for  the  lad's  affectionate  heart,  but  he 
managed  to  go  through  it  almost  without  shedding 
tears,  though  one  or  two  would  come  when 
Grade  clung  weeping  about  his  neck;  but  the 


276  ELSIE   YACHTING 

last,  the  final  farewell  to  his  father,  was  hardest 
of  all.  In  vain  he  reminded  himself  that  it 
was  not  a  final  separation,  that  he  might  hope 
for  long  visits  at  home  at  some  future  time,  that 
letters  would  pass  frequently  between  them,  and 
a  visit  be  paid  him  now  and  then  by  that  dearly 
loved,  honoured,  and  revered  parent ;  just  now  he 
could  only  remember  that  the  daily,  hourly  inter 
course  he  had  found  so  delightful  was  over, 
probably  forever  in  this  world. 

The  Captain  read  it  all  in  his  boy's  speaking 
countenance,  and  deeply  sympathized  with  his 
son ;  indeed  his  own  heart  was  heavy  over  the 
thought  that  this,  his  first-born  and  well-beloved 
child  was  now  to  pass  from  under  his  protecting 
care  and  try  the  world  for  himself.  He  felt  that 
he  must  bestow  upon  him  a  few  more  words  of 
loving,  fatherly  counsel. 

They  were  leaving  together  the  hotel  where 
the  remainder  of  their  party  were  domiciled  for 
the  present.  "  Max,  my  son,"  he  said  kindly, 
looking  at  his  watch  as  he  spoke,  "  we  have  still 
more  than  an  hour  to  spend  as  we  like  before  you 
must  be  at  the  Academy.  Shall  we  spend  it  on 
board  the  yacht?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  if  you  can  spare  the  tune  to  me," 
answered  the  lad,  making  a  great  effort  to  speak 
brightly  and  cheerfully. 

"Then  we  will  go  there,"  the  Captain  said, 
giving  his  son  an  affectionate  look  and  smile  "  I 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  277 

can  find  no  better  use  for  the  next  hour  than  de 
voting  it  to  a  little  talk  with  my  first-born,  on 
whom  I  have  built  so  many  hopes." 

A  few  minutes  later  they  were  sitting  side  by 
side  in  the  "Dolphin's"  cabin,  no  human  crea 
ture  near  to  see  or  overhear  what  might  pass  be 
tween  them. 

For  a  little  while  there  was  silence,  each  busy 
with  his  own  thoughts.  It  was  Max  who  ended 
it  at  last. 

"  Papa,"  he  said  brokenly,  his  hand  creeping 
into  his  father's,  "  you  —  you  have  been  such  a 
good,  good  father  to  me  ;  and  —  and  I  want  to 
foe  a  credit  and  comfort  to  you.  I"  — 

But  there  he  broke  down  completely,  and  the 
next  moment  —  neither  ever  knew  exactly  how  it 
came  about  —  he  was  sobbing  in  his  father's  annsh 

"I  —  I  wish  I 'd  been  a  better  boy,  Papa,"  he 
went  on,  "it 'most  breaks  my  heart  to  think 
now  of  the  pain  and  trouble  I  've  given  you  at 
times." 

"  My  boy,  my  dear,  dear  boy,"  the  Captain 
said  in  moved  tones,  pressing  the  lad  to  his 
heart,  "you  have  been  a  great  joy  and  comfort 
to  me  for  years  past,  and  words  would  fail  me  to 
tell  how  dear  you  are  to  your  father's  heart.  It 
seems  scarely  longer  ago  than  yesterday  that  I 
first  held  my  dear  boy  in  my  arms,  and  prayed 
God  that  if  his  life  was  spared  he  might  grow  up 
into  a  good,  useful,  Christian  man,  a  blessing 


278  ELSIE   YACHTING 

to  his  parents,  to  the  church,  and  to  the  world 
Oh,  my  boy,  never  be  afraid  or  ashamed  to  own 
yourself  one  who  fears  God  and  tries  to  keep  hia 
commandments,  who  loves  Jesus,  trusts  in  Him 
for  salvation  from  sin  and  death,  and  tries  to 
honour  Him  in  all  his  words  and  ways.  Strive  to 
keep  very  near  to  the  Master,  Max,  and  to  honour 
Him  in  all  things.  Never  be  ashamed  to  own 
yourself  His  disciple,  His  servant,  and  Him  as 
your  Lord  and  King.  Eemember  His  words, 
4  Whosoever  therefore  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and 
of  my  words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  genera 
tion,  of  him  shall  also  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed 
when  He  cometh  in  the  glory  of  His  Father  with 
the  holy  angels.'  Doubtless  it  will  at  times  bring 
the  ridicule  of  your  companions  upon  you,  but  he 
is  only  a  coward  who  can  not  bear  that  when  un 
deserved  ;  and  what  is  it  compared  to  Christ's 
sufferings  on  the  cross  for  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Papa,  nothing,  nothing  at  all  compared 
to  what  Jesus  bore  for  me !  He  will  give  me 
strength  to  be  faithful  in  confessing  Him  before 
men,  and  your  prayers  will  help  me,  too." 

11  Yes,  my  boy,  and  you  may  be  sure  that 
you  will  be  ever  on  your  father's  heart,  which 
will  be  often  going  up  in  prayer  to  God  for  a 
blessing  on  his  absent  son.  It  is  to  me  a  joyful 
thought  that  He  is  the  hearer  and  answerer 
of  prayer,  and  will  be  ever  near  my  son,  to 
keep  him  in  the  hour  of  trial  and  temptation, 


WITH  THE  RAYMONDS.  279 

chough  I  may  know  nothing  of  his  danger  or 
distress. 

"  Let  us  kneel  down  now  and  ask  Him  to  be 
your  guard  and  guide  through  all  life's  journey, 
to  help  you  to  be  His  faithful  servant  in  all 
things,  and  to  bring  you  safe  to  heaven  at  last." 
The/  knelt  side  by  side,  and  in  a  few  well 
chosen  words  the  Captain  commended  his  be 
loved  son  to  the  care,  the  guardianship,  and  the 
guidance  of  the  God  of  his  fathers,  asking  that 
he  might  be  a  faithful  follower  of  Jesus  through 
all  life's  journey,  and  afterward  spend  an  eter 
nity  of  bliss  in  that  happy  land  where  sin  and 
sorrow  and  partings  are  never  known. 

A  hearty  embrace  followed,  some  few  more 
words  of  fatherly  counsel  and  advice,  then  they 
left  the  vessel,  wended  their  way  to  the  Naval 
Academy  and  parted  for  the  time,  the  Captain 
comforting  the  heart  of  the  more  than  half  home 
sick  lad  with  the  promise  of  a  visit  from  him  at 
no  very  distant  day  and  frequent,  letters  in  the 
mean  time. 

The  "  Dolphin  "  was  to  sail  northward  again 
that  evening ;  and  as  Max  watched  his  father  out 
of  sight  it  required  a  mighty  effort  to  keep  back 
the  tears  from  his  eyes  at  the  thought  that  he 
should  behold  that  noble  form  and  dearly  loved 
face  no  more  for  months  or  —  "  Oh,  who  could 
say  that  some  accident  might  not  rob  him  for 
ever  of  his  best  and  dearest  earthly  friend?" 


280  ELSIE   YACHTING. 

But  he  struggled  with  himself,  turned  reso 
lutely  about,  and  entered  into  lively  chat  with 
some  of  his  new  comrades,  all  the  while  the 
cheering  thought  in  his  heart  that  nothing  could 
separate  him  from  the  presence  and  loving  care  of 
his  heavenly  Father ;  also  that  he  surely  would 
be  permitted,  before  many  months  had  passed, 
to  see  again  the  dear  earthly  one  he  so  loved 
and  honoured.  And  in  the  meanwhile  he  was 
resolved  to  do  everything  in  his  power  to  win 
that  father's  approbation,  and  make  him  proud 
*vnd  happy  in  his  first-born  son. 


THE  ENDe 


JUI71 


£j 

^fliarapfl 


^HNIYERJ/^ 


i  ii    ii  1 1    ii  i ••  •'•    •          '  •  •    - 

L  006  448  190  6 
d      -»' 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


!  rJUl71lJUI71 


